


yeah you're my kinda different

by Piet94



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, ahri is on her worst behavior in this fic lmao, also there's a brief moment of like...hm. how to say it, also warning for discussion of parental death, art as a medium and all that lmaoooo, but nothing happens, it's quite brief but still, no one dies but there's some grief spiraling happening, sexual assault is hinted at probably happening, so a little bit of my own damage bled into this one but u kno, still though potentially triggering to some so just be aware
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:15:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29600916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piet94/pseuds/Piet94
Summary: Kai’sa swallowed hard, leaning back and out of Ahri’s space, uncomfortable with the level of physical contact. “Yes, of course I’m single. Would it matter if I wasn’t?”“No,” Ahri said, a dangerous smile curling her mouth. Her canines looked very sharp. “It would just make what I’m trying to do harder.”
Relationships: Ahri/Kai'Sa (League of Legends)
Comments: 65
Kudos: 222





	yeah you're my kinda different

**Author's Note:**

> another cursed fic courtesy of twitter. i have since lost the tweet, but you all can thank Rory for this once again lmao. no beta, all mistakes are my own etc etc. also THIS BITCH IS SO LONG RIP.

Kai’sa didn’t much like school. Well – no, that was a lie. She liked school _fine_ and was good at it, but she didn’t much like the people. Most of them left her alone and let her go about her business, but there were those select few that made a point to be crappy. Kai’sa didn’t much like those people. She also didn’t like having to move from her current university to a brand new one across the dang states to be closer to home. Her father had requested it – and while Kai’sa’s relationship with him was strained at best, she didn’t want to upset him.

She hoped this college would be a little easier on her, socially. She was pretty awkward, all told – too tall and with strange interests. The only thing she had going for her was sports. She was athletic and had transformed a touch over the summer. Her braces were off, she’d ditched her glasses for contacts, and she’d gotten much, much fitter with the addition of dance to her workouts. She played rec league soccer too, because it was fun, so maybe she could actually manage to make some friends here. Kai’sa sure hoped so. She was treating the move like a new start – something that would offer her a new grip on life.

Her new roommate was kind of a mess, but at least Akali was nice to her. She poked and prodded at her interests, gently making fun of her for them, but always offered Kai’sa a game controller to play Smash Brothers when she got too annoyed. They hit it off well enough, mostly because Kai’sa cooked and Akali liked that about her. Plus, Akali was so genuinely chill that she seemed to get along with everyone – even weirdos like Kai’sa. It was nice to have a built-in friend in the form of a roommate. They didn’t share the same major, and, odds were, Akali would be way more popular than Kai’sa, but…when she was home, Kai’sa figured maybe they could hang out.

Even though she could wear contacts, Kai’sa ultimately decided against it on the first full day of classes. She had an early morning on Mondays and Wednesdays, eight am was way too early to bother with poking herself in the eye multiple times. She wasn’t quite used to putting them in yet. She had her textbook tucked under her arm – she always bought them, even though she knew she probably shouldn’t. Kai’sa was neurotic enough to stress out over being unprepared in the face of a professor. No thank you. She ducked into the lecture hall, yawning into the crook of her arm. Predictably, it was almost full up, only a few seats scattered around that were still open.

Kai’sa knew it would slowly empty over the next few weeks, but for now, she’d have to sit right next to someone else and just – why. She hated it. She didn’t want to have small talk, she didn’t want to listen to someone slurp noisily on coffee. She didn’t want to listen to someone snore when they inevitably fell asleep when the topic got too boring. Kai’sa just wanted to tuck herself away in the back row, listen, take notes, and do well. It wasn’t that big of an ask, but there she was. Sighing, she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, blew her hair out of her face, and furrowed her brows as she saw movement near the middle row.

A very, _very_ pretty girl, who was far too put together for eight in the morning, was waving at her. Kai’sa squinted, looking behind herself, sure the attention was not actually directed at her. There was no one behind her, however, and Kai’sa glanced up again. The blonde woman was smiling, outright pointing at her now. She quirked her finger, beckoning Kai’sa closer. She leaned over to whisper to the other woman next to her, who was just as ridiculously attractive. That woman looked up, bored eyes falling on Kai’sa as her mouth quirked lazily upward. She leaned into the blonde one, saying something that made her laugh.

Surely these two weren’t going to be a nightmare on her first day. Kai’sa hadn’t even _done_ anything to warrant weird looks or subtle jabs at this point. Maybe they were just nice. Feeling a little on edge, Kai’sa moved toward them, watching the blonde one’s smile widen. Weird.

Once she got up next to them, the blonde one patted the empty seat to her right. “You can sit here,” she said, eyes making a slow, obvious drag up Kai’sa’s form. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“Do you keep a running tally of the massive amounts of people that live on this college campus, or?”

The woman next to Blondie laughed, a short, barking thing. Blondie’s smile did not waver, but Kai’sa thought she saw irritation flash through her expression. Oops.

“You’re _so_ funny. I’m Ahri.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny. I’m kind of actually curious.” Kai’sa sat, feeling too tall and lanky next to these two absurdly good-looking women.

Ahri smiled, leaning close. Kai’sa let her eyes fall to the swell of her breasts at the top of her shirt. It was hard not to. She swallowed, glancing away. Ahri’s mouth curled though, as if she was keeping a secret Kai’sa wasn’t privy to. “No, I don’t. I just know pretty much everyone here. In this department for sure. I know a lot of people.”

“Oh,” Kai’sa said, mildly disappointed. She was kind of hoping Ahri had some fancy sorting system of some kind that she could study. That seemed kind of neat. She stopped talking, thinking the conversation over. She didn’t know these people and class was about to start. She needed to get her shit together.

She paused as Ahri’s fingers closed over her forearm. “What’s your name, pretty girl?” she asked.

“Oh, uh…” she swallowed, the term of endearment making her palms a little sweaty, “Kai’sa. I’m Kai’sa.”

“Hi, Kai’sa,” Ahri said with a smile. She sat back in her seat, leaving her hand in Kai’sa’s space, brushing her fingers regularly over her forearm as she leaned over toward the other woman to talk some more.

Kai’sa thought it was kind of odd, but she shrugged it off. She could have picked someone more annoying to sit next to, she figured. She was just…really touchy. At least she wasn’t loud and she was leaving her mostly alone. Kai’sa could deal with that. Ahri even eventually drew her hand back into her own space, twirling her pencil around her fingers and looking incredibly bored as the professor opened up the first lesson. Kai’sa didn’t blame her, really. It was the preliminary stuff – everyone probably could have skipped this class and been fine.

As it was, she still took dutiful notes, glancing up now and again to find Ahri watching her. Her own notebook was conspicuously blank, and Kai’sa raised an eyebrow. Why come if there was going to be no effort put in? Ahri leaned close, hand curling around her forearm again. “You’re very organized,” she breathed into her ear.

Kai’sa narrowly fought back and eye roll because, well, _duh_. It was college, she was an upperclassman at this point – things weren’t just going to fall into place anymore. She had to stay on top of things if she wanted to keep her perfect GPA. She was smart – Kai’sa knew that about herself. It was about the only nice thing she could consistently get through her thick skull. Still though. She’d gotten through the stupid stuff – now she could focus on classes that _actually_ mattered for her degree. Things weren’t getting any easier. Instead of answering, Kai’sa just nodded her head, allowing Ahri to lean close and get half in her lap by the end of the two-hour block.

Naturally, the professor didn’t let them leave early – he was going to be one of _those_. Kai’sa made a face, closing up her books and placing them in her bag, carelessly brushing Ahri off her as she did so. She heard the other woman, who she still didn’t know the name of, laugh again, seemingly amused by whatever she was doing.

“Hey!” Ahri chirped, tugging at her sleeve, “If I skip class, can I borrow your notes? You know, if you come?”

“I always come,” Kai’sa sighed, standing to her full height and noticing how much taller than the other two she was. They both had _presence_ , which made them seem larger than life. Kai’sa just had height – not so much on the presence part.

Something sparked in Ahri’s eyes and she leaned close again, surging up onto her tiptoes. “Oh, you _do_? Because I could –”

She was yanked back with a yelp and Kai’sa was genuinely shocked at the amount of venom in her glare. “Low hanging fruit, Ahri, let that one lie.” Cool brown eyes – almost golden in the light, glanced at her. “Evelynn,” she said, “You can call me Eve. See you around.”

Ahri sighed noisily, wiggling her fingers at Kai’sa as she walked backward away from her, putting far too much sway in her hips if Kai’sa did say so herself. She eventually turned, leaving Kai’sa to contemplate what in the hell had just happened. If _that_ was the caliber of people she was dealing with, Kai’sa thought maybe this place wouldn’t be so bad. Not because they were nice – Kai’sa still wasn’t sure about that much – but because they were weird. If everyone was weird like that, maybe she could fit in and not have people be terrible sometimes. Hm. Plus, Kai’sa thought, a little guiltily, Ahri sure was pretty.

\----

She had a bit of downtime between her eight am and her twelve pm class. She spent the two-hour buffer period in the library, being nosy as she combed through all the books. Kai’sa liked to learn – and more importantly, she liked to learn new things. If it were up to her, she’d stay in college forever, studying anything and everything. She liked the classes and the mental stimulation – it was just the people she had an issue with. Still, though, no one had been mean to her yet. Kai’sa counted it as a win.

Akali texted her around eleven, asking if she wanted to run to the trashy Checkers and grab a bite with her. Kai’sa figured she probably should. It wasn’t too far off campus and she needed to eat something before noon to keep herself on some sort of schedule. She had practice after class anyway – food was important. Even if it was greasy, terrible for you food.

She walked the short distance to the restaurant, if you could call it that, picked up some food, and had Akali walk her back to class. Akali was free until evening courses and she constantly teased Kai’sa for her choice of early mornings. Kai’sa mostly just shrugged, used to being prodded and poked. At least Akali was good-natured about it all.

“How was your first day, anyway?” Akali asked, walking with her arms folded behind her head.

“Still going,” Kai’sa said, deadpan, as she took a large bite of terrible cheeseburger.

“Oh, c’mon Kai, spill _something._ You’re telling me things were really that boring? God damn.”

Kai’sa just shrugged a shoulder, feeling strangely resistant to sharing about Eve and Ahri. She didn’t know why, it wasn’t like it was a secret. A ton of people had witnessed Ahri being weird in the middle of a lecture but…still. Something about it, something that Kai’sa couldn’t pinpoint, made her a little embarrassed to share. “I – I don’t know. I met some people? I guess?”

“Yeah? Anyone I’d know?”

Kai’sa pursed her lips, drumming her fingers against her thighs and remembering Ahri’s ‘knowing people’ comment. “I guess maybe? Their names are Ahri and Evelynn. They were nice, I guess.” Nice and _weird_ , but Kai’sa wasn’t exactly normal either. She couldn’t judge too much.

Akali barked out a harsh laugh, turning wide eyes to her. “Wait, you’re serious? Ahri? Like, about this tall, blonde, kind of pretentious and airheaded?”

Kai’sa shrugged, frowning a little. “I guess? She’s not airheaded. She seemed fine.” She didn’t know why she was defending this unknown woman, but…well. Ahri didn’t seem airheaded or dumb. She seemed fine. Just. Strange.

“You clearly didn’t talk to her long enough then.”

Something harsh and bitter shot across Akali’s expression, which gave Kai’sa pause. She stopped walking, pulling Akali to a stop with her. “What’s your deal? Is she like…a huge jerk or something? Should I not talk to her?”

Akali sighed, plucking her hat off her head and scrubbing her hands down her face. “No, it’s not that. She’s just – maybe be careful? Like, no offense, but you’re sort of awkward and weird, and Ahri is the type to really use that to her advantage. Because you’re also like, real stupid hot.”

Kai’sa flushed violently red, suddenly unable to look Akali in the face. Compliments still felt weird, even though Kai’sa _knew_ she had changed a bit during the school switch. It was still so alien and she didn’t know what to do with it. “I – I don’t see,” Kai’sa swallowed thickly, resisting the urge to bury her face in her books, “I don’t see what _that_ has to do with anything!”

Akali’s expression softened and she bumped shoulders with her. “Look. Ahri’s just…she’s really popular and hangs out with shitty people. Her parents, like, _own_ this town. It doesn’t matter how stupid she is, people will pass her anyway, that sort of thing. She just gets what she wants all the time and it sounds like she wants you and I just…” Akali frowned, fiddling with her fingers. “I don’t want her to chew you up and spit you out. That’s all. I made out with her once at a party. She spent like three days up my ass until she got what she wanted and now she pretends to not recognize me. It’s super weird and super bitchy and just…I don’t know. I don’t like her much. But I also really like her. It’s weird and confusing. I don’t want you to get caught in the web.”

Kai’sa’s brows pulled harshly together in the middle of her forehead. “That’s kinda messed up. She just pretends to not recognize you? I really don’t think this is similar though.” There was no way, _no way_ , that someone who looked like Ahri would be remotely interested in Kai’sa. No way. “I don’t think this is the same. I won’t talk to her or Eve though if you want. I like you more than them anyway.”

“Oh nah, Eve’s fine,” Akali laughed, her cheeks flushing pink, “Eve’s pretty cool, actually. Ahri _can_ be, but she’s just a real prissy bitch. Just be careful, that’s all.”

“Kai’sa!”

Kai’sa and Akali both looked up. Ahri, her hair now tied up in a ponytail, walked toward them both, smile wide and warm. Kai’sa swallowed hard at the sight. Evelynn was walking next to her, looking bored and flicking through her phone. She glanced up, expression going soft as she noticed Akali. It was kind of cute, actually, Kai’sa thought. Even cuter, Akali perked up like an anxious puppy at the sight of them both. Kai’sa quirked a smile, dimples pressing into her cheeks, patting Akali on the back in the best gesture of support she knew. “Hello,” she awkwardly murmured upon their approach.

Ahri reached out, pressing a hand into the middle of her chest, eyes dark and interested. “Mm, _hi_ Dimples. There’s this party we’re throwing tonight –”

“It’s the first day,” Kai’sa interrupted, genuinely shocked. Akali elbowed her hard in the ribs in response.

“Mhm,” Ahri hummed, seemingly unperturbed by her rudeness. “I wanted to see if you wanted to come. I can give you directions, pick you up. You know. Whatever.” She grinned a grin so genuinely charming that it made Kai’sa a little weak in the knees. She got a distinct impression that this wasn’t a woman who heard the word no a lot.

“Tonight?” she clarified.

“Mhm. Like, I don’t know. Ten? Eleven? Somewhere around there.”

Kai’sa thought. It would probably be a good way to meet people, but also it would mean drunk, sweaty people pressed against her. Mm. No thanks. Not to mention, she had some assigned reading and other assignments to take care of. She hadn’t even finished out the full day yet. She was surprised to find herself a little bit disappointed she couldn’t say yes. Ahri sure was pretty. “Yeah, uh. Probably not.”

Akali elbowed her again. Evelynn snorted, clapping a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. Ahri looked genuinely flabbergasted, a shockingly real-looking emotion on her pretty face that had hosted nothing but pretty, sharp, or dangerous-looking smiles since Kai’sa had known her.

“No?!” Ahri repeated, her voice breathy with disbelief.

“Sorry,” Kai’sa said with a shrug of her shoulders, “I’ve got stuff to do tonight.”

The silence rang out and Kai’sa wasn’t sure what the big deal was. She was busy. So what? Pretty, manicured nails curled into the fabric at Kai’sa’s collar, and Kai’sa tensed against whatever was about to happen. Nothing did.

“Oh wow,” Ahri breathed, “Can I have your phone number?”

***

Ahri didn’t contact her. It wasn’t all that surprising really, Kai’sa hadn’t expected her to. She felt like a very specific new toy in Ahri’s arsenal. Kai’sa just didn’t understand _why_ Ahri seemed to be so insistent upon hanging out. She was needlessly touchy and talkative in the one class they shared and seemed to absolutely delight in whatever Kai’sa deemed fit to respond with. It was strange, and kind of silly. Ahri felt like a fairytale – a princess, one note, one dimensional. Kai’sa was sure that couldn’t be the case, but she was having a ton of trouble getting a read on her. Her mask must have been pretty impressive, or, as Akali said…maybe she was just that vapid and airheaded.

She didn’t get to spend as much time with Akali as she may have liked – she was popular in her own way. She didn’t possess the magnetic pull that Ahri did, but Akali seemed to be friends with almost everyone. Kai’sa, while doing…alright, as far as things went, was still socially awkward. Making friends here was still proving pretty difficult. She was just too weird for most people to spend time with. Though, she figured, at least people weren’t often mean here – just dismissive. It still hurt all the same.

Sighing, Kai’sa tilted back in her seat, rocking on the two back legs as she stared at her apartment ceiling. She was halfway through an assignment, but it wasn’t pressing. She still had time. She understood it too, so it wasn’t like it was going to hurt her head trying to finish it, and she was _bored_. Akali was out. She was doing something but got weird and defensive when Kai’sa pressed too much, curious. She didn’t have anyone to call to hang out with – she didn’t have Ahri’s number, Ahri had hers, and besides, Kai’sa didn’t know her well enough to call and invite her over anyway.

Instead, Kai’sa shrugged some sweatpants on, grabbed her phone and headphones, and decided to take a jog. She hadn’t had much of a chance to really explore the new campus, and she was restless and needed to move. Sitting around cooped up in the apartment was fine when she had work to do, but right now she was just bored and antsy without Akali around to fill the silence.

It really was pretty. Kai’sa gazed around as she moved, dodging through people out doing the same on the weekend. The weather was comfortable – a touch warm for her, but comfortable. Kai’sa preferred it cold. She liked to bundle up in hoodies and sweaters and hats and scarves. Summer fashion was a lot more boring – not that Kai’sa was the most fashion-forward person anyway. She turned down a side street, pleased to see the Greek Life out in full force. She liked the houses – she’d never see the inside of one, obviously, but they looked neat. She stayed away from Frat Row, instead opting to run down the shaded street that housed all the sororities.

Some of them had parties happening, which seemed odd until Kai’sa realized it was game day. She supposed she could have gone to watch football but…eh. It wasn’t as fun without someone to go with and Akali didn’t really care about sports. She just kept her head down and continued running. She determined that her most favorite house was Delta Zeta. It wasn’t too terribly large, but it was neat looking from the outside. She figured the inside looked pretty cool too.

Something semi-heavy hit her square between the shoulder blades and Kai’sa felt the air leave her lungs in a singular huff. She stumbled, turning, light on her feet, to figure out what in the heck _that_ just was. She looked to see a water bottle, unassuming as those things went, rolling to a stop against her feet. Kai’sa plucked her earphones out of her ears, feeling distinctly bewildered. If it were a beer, it would have made more sense, honestly. Some of the parties were loud enough to get in past her noise-canceling headphones. She bent, grabbing the plastic and staring at it, bewildered.

“God, hey!” she heard, and Kai’sa glanced up to see Ahri. She came to a stop in front of her, panting and red-faced. “You’re so fast,” she said, waving a hand and placing her hands on her hips to catch her breath, “I’m surprised that hit you.”

“I am literally holding my phone,” Kai’sa said, deadpan, wiggling it for effect, “You have my phone number. A text would have sufficed.”

To her credit, Ahri did look a little guilty. “Sorry,” she laughed, reaching out and brushing her fingers over Kai’sa’s clothed stomach. Kai’sa watched something shift in her expression – it was strange, but she didn’t really get any malicious intent, which was the most important part. “Maybe I should check if it bruised. See if you’re hurt.”

“It really doesn’t hurt that bad –” Kai’sa began but was immediately cut off.

“No, no, I insist. Let me see.” Slim fingers worked their way underneath Kai’sa’s sweaty shirt. They brushed along her sides, and it felt nice, but Kai’sa was a little worried about being gross. “Help me pull this up,” she said, physically turning Kai’sa so she faced away from her.

Kai’sa tensed, and she knew Ahri could feel it. It was strange – she was fine. She glanced over her shoulder, heart in her throat. It felt like a trap closing in over her head. It felt like a setup, a way to get her in a vulnerable position so Ahri could take advantage of it. She studied Ahri’s face, who smiled at her, tilting her head in confusion. She looked oblivious to Kai’sa’s inner turmoil. Still, though, the lack of malicious intent was present, and Kai’sa slowly relaxed. It felt like Ahri was hiding _something_ from her, but it didn’t feel mean. It was okay. Probably.

Sighing, she tugged her shirt up and over her head, holding the bunched fabric near her neck. Ahri’s hands were on her in an instant, fingers tracing tensed muscles. “Tell me where it hurts,” she said, sounding strained.

“It doesn’t,” Kai’sa sighed, rolling her eyes, “You were just insistent about this.”

“Uh-huh,” Ahri replied, sounding breathless. Her fingers brushed up from the waistband of her sweats, following the line of her spine. Both hands fanned out over her shoulder blades, her thumb pressing to the point of impact. _That_ actually did hurt a touch and Kai’sa squirmed, jerking away from Ahri’s warm hands. “Mm,” Ahri hummed, one hand sneaking around her front to splay across her stomach.

It was an anchoring presence, and Kai’sa’s heart was beating wildly in her chest. She swallowed hard and let Ahri gently prod at the spot. Her hand left it a moment later, fingers tracing a burning path along her skin to the left side of her body. Her fingers plucked at the elastic of her sports bra, fingernail scratching just beneath it. “Are you satisfied?” Kai’sa asked, squirming against the stimulation.

“No,” Ahri breathed, “What’s this?”

Kai’sa glanced down, watching Ahri’s fingers swirl across the black ink of one of her tattoos. “Oh, just –” She stepped away, and Ahri let her. Kai’sa let her shirt fall back into place, feeling much more comfortable when she wasn’t so exposed. “ –I mean, you saw. It’s a tattoo. You can see more of it if I’m actually topless, but. Well.”

A slow, dangerous-looking grin curled one side of Ahri’s mouth. “Oh yeah? Can I see it sometime?”

Kai’sa went pink in the face, annoyed with herself for falling into that trap. “I don’t know,” she murmured, embarrassed.

Ahri laughed, stepping forward and into Kai’sa’s space again. She kept her hands to herself this time. “I wanted to see what you were doing tonight. We’re all going to the game, and you’re welcome to tag along, but it doesn’t seem like your scene.”

Kai’sa huffed out a laugh through her nose, thinking it funny how little Ahri really knew about her. She liked football, she would love to go to the game, but, one, it was all in who you went with, and two, she still had some stuff to do. “I like football,” she said shortly.

“Oh,” Ahri said, looking surprised, “Okay. Do you want to come then?”

“No,” Kai’sa said, shaking her head, watching genuine confusion flit across Ahri’s face. “I still have some stuff to do, I don’t have tickets, I’m sweaty and gross. Not enough time to go at this point. But. I like football.”

Ahri blinked, looking a little unnerved. Kai’sa wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. “You’re not gross,” she said with what looked to be a genuine smile, not one of those put-on ones. “What else do you like?” She closed her hands around Kai’sa’s forearm, pressing against her side, “Walk me home.”

Kai’sa didn’t have much of a problem with that, so she did, allowing Ahri to lead. “Uh. I like a lot of things,” she said, resistant to fully sharing. This was when people normally lost interest in her or thought she was too weird to keep hanging out with. Ahri sure was pretty. “Um. Soccer. I like that. I play in a rec league. Science. I like science. I even kind of like math. I’m good at it.”

Ahri’s hands squeezed against her forearm. “That explains that,” she murmured. Kai’sa didn’t respond, not knowing quite what she was talking about, but not willing to press. “Science, hm? What’s your major anyway? I hate math. I’m terrible at it.”

“Oh, uh, I’m double majoring, actually. Criminal Justice and Forensic Science.”

“Mm, CSI, huh? Neat. I’m going pre-law. I’m majoring in Political Science, and then I’ll probably go to law school.” She opened her mouth to continue speaking, went a little pink, and promptly closed it again.

Kai’sa frowned, not liking whatever weird emotion she could feel in the air. “What?” she asked quietly, “What were you going to say?”

Ahri jerked in surprise, and Kai’sa heard her swallow. “Oh. You’re very perceptive, you know that?”

Kai’sa lifted one shoulder in a shrug, feeling lighter at the praise. “I’m aiming to do CSI stuff. Kinda have to be.”

Ahri’s smile was soft. “True.” Her hands tightened against Kai’sa’s forearm again and she looked around, seeming to make sure they were alone. Kai’sa didn’t understand it. “I want to go to Harvard Law,” she finally said, tilting her head to rest it against Kai’sa’s shoulder.

Kai’sa frowned, her eyebrows coming together, forcing a sharp line between them. “Okay? Why stop yourself from saying that? That seems like a good goal.”

Ahri hummed, seemingly unconvinced. “You’re very sweet,” she murmured instead, coming to a stop in front of one of the large sorority houses. Kai’sa saw three triangles emblazoned upon the doorway. Tri Delt. That fit. “This is me. Thanks, baby.” Ahri broke from her, standing back and pressing the flat of her palms against Kai’sa’s clothed stomach. “Since you won’t come to the game with me, how about coming to the party afterward? It’ll be here. It’s Saturday. Take a break, come hang out.”

Kai’sa paused, thinking. Ahri sure was pretty. It _could_ be fun. Hm. “Okay,” she said before she could second guess herself too much. “Can I bring someone?”

Something vicious and cold flashed across Ahri’s expression, and when she next spoke, her voice was tight. “Only if you pay attention to me.”

Kai’sa squinted, mystified by the turn of events. “Okay? I’ll pay attention to you?”

Ahri squinted right back, fingers fisting in the material of her shirt. “I’ll hold you to that, Dimples. I’ll wear something just for you.” She winked, tense posture easing at how hard that made Kai’sa swallow. “I want to see that tattoo.” She stood on her tiptoes, anchoring her hands on Kai’sa’s shoulders. She brushed a kiss across her cheekbone, falling back flat on her feet. “See you tonight!”

\----

She managed to beg hard enough to convince Akali to come with her. She didn’t really know Ahri all that well, and Kai’sa didn’t do great in rooms full of unfamiliar people. Having Akali there would give her something to cling to whenever Ahri inevitably got bored and flitted off to someone else. It was the casual mention of Evelynn that did it – a calculated move on Kai’sa’s part. She was, as Ahri said, quite perceptive. It was clear Akali had _some_ sort of feelings for her. She felt a little guilty about it, not knowing for sure if Evelynn would be there, but still. Kai’sa wanted to go and she wanted someone to hang out with.

She took a little while getting ready, listening to Akali gripe about it from the common area of the dorm. She wasn’t quite sure why it was so important to her to look nice – she felt like a freshman trying to impress, just without the super short, tight clothing. It was dumb, there wasn’t anyone she needed to impress, but Kai’sa wanted very badly to try and make some friends. It was easier, she knew, when she looked pretty and approachable. She elected to leave her glasses at home. She breathed deep, exiting the bathroom and smiling, nervous, at Akali, who was slouched on the couch.

“Fuck,” Akali murmured, sitting up straight, “Alright. Damn. Worth the wait if I look cool dragging _you_ in on my arm. You wanna do something after this?”

“Shut up,” Kai’sa laughed, falling into step next to her as they prepped for the walk across campus. People were pouring out of the stadium, drunk, raucous behavior making her press closer to Akali. Akali looped an arm around her waist, grinning up at her through mussed hair.

“Since when are you in on parties anyway?” she asked, adjusting her hat so it sat backward on her head.

“I’m…not really? I went running this afternoon and Ahri saw me and invited me.”

Akali’s jaw clenched and she gave her a strong side-eye. “You’re into her, aren’t you?”

“No!” Kai’sa sputtered, going harshly pink in the face, “I just – she’s nice! I mean, she’s kinda weird, but she’s nice.”

Akali sighed, taking Kai’sa’s hands and pulling her to a stop. “Look,” she said, sounding more serious than Kai’sa had ever heard, “You’re an adult. You can make your own choices and I _know_ I’ve hammered this home in your head. But…there’s probably a lot you don’t know about the Resident Princess. I’ve got some inside scoop from Eve, along with just my personal experiences. She _will_ chew you up and spit you out, Kai’sa. Don’t fool yourself into thinking she’s trying to be friends with you. She doesn’t care about that. She wants to sleep with you and forget about it. She’s not your type. She’s airheaded and kind of dumb.”

Irritation lashed at Kai’sa’s chest and she pulled her hands from the safety of Akali’s. “She’s _not_ dumb,” she said, heated. She _wasn’t_. Even from the brief interactions she’d had with Ahri, Kai’sa knew that much. She now understood a little better why Ahri seemed so resistant to sharing her dreams of Harvard. People treated her poorly for it. “She’s not stupid, she’s not airheaded. You should really be nicer to her – I get she was a bitch, _is_ a bitch, but she’s not dumb. Don’t call her that.”

Akali blinked, sighing as she shook her head. “You really are into her.”

“I’m _not_ ,” Kai’sa snapped, a dark shadow settling across her brow, “Stop telling me how to feel.”

Akali glanced over at her, guilty. “Ah – you’re right. I’m sorry, dude. I’m just trying to look out for you.”

Kai’sa softened, reaching down to hold Akali’s hand again. “I know,” she said quietly, “But I’m not dumb. I don’t understand people that much, but I know when they’re doing something to be mean. Ahri’s never done anything to be mean to me.”

“Yeah,” Akali murmured, brow furrowing, “She’s not really the type to be needlessly mean. I just really don’t want you to catch feelings and get hurt, that’s all.”

“There’s no chance of that,” Kai’sa said, rolling her eyes, “Seriously.”

They completed the rest of the walk in companionable silence, holding hands all the while. Kai’sa saw the lights of the Tri Delt house, eyes hungrily moving over the shape of the architecture. They just looked so _cool_. People were milling around out front, something low and bassy and loud was playing inside. Kai’sa hesitated, feeling suddenly uneasy about the whole thing.

“C’mon,” Akali said with a small smile, “We’ve come too far to back out now.”

Steeling herself, Kai’sa led the way, entering into a sprawling hall with a chandelier, a _chandelier_ for god’s sake, hanging above their heads. People were packed close, sweaty, drunk bodies banging off Kai’sa’s as she made her way into the living room. The music was loudest here, the bass thumping through her body like a second heartbeat. Kai’sa felt her free hand tap against her thigh, body itching to move with it. She was a little embarrassed though, not quite comfortable dancing in front of people yet.

“Kai’sa!!” she heard, shouted over the thumping bass. She glanced up, seeing Ahri, who looked blitzed to hell and back, stumbling toward her. Evelynn was at her back, hands at her ribs to keep her upright. Kai’sa breathed a little easier, both knowing Ahri had someone to look out for her, and to know Akali would be pleased to see her.

Ahri stumbled into her, falling into her chest. Evelynn let her go, pressing her lips harshly together as Ahri wrapped herself around Kai’sa’s form. “Uh, hi,” Kai’sa said with a semi-awkward chuckle, unsure where to put her hands.

“ _Hi_ , I wore this for you.” Ahri twirled, unsteady on her feet. Her shorts were sinfully short, not covering much at all, and Kai’sa felt her face flush with the realization. She was wearing socks that came up to her knees, and a dark blue baseball T. It was, Kai’sa realized, Ahri’s _terrible_ attempt at something resembling a soccer uniform. Cute.

“I see that,” she said, trying desperately hard not to laugh.

Ahri tilted her head to rest against Kai’sa’s chest, and she turned to face Akali, who looked highly unimpressed with the whole situation. Kai’sa hesitantly pressed her hand to the middle of Ahri’s back, keeping her steady and upright. “Who’s this?” she asked, far too saccharine sweet even to Kai’sa’s ears.

Akali barked out a laugh, arching an eyebrow. “You seriously don’t remember me?”

Kai’sa watched genuine confusion pass over Ahri’s face and she pushed a little away from Kai’sa, fingers still tight in her shirt. She was pretty blasted. Kai’sa felt a root of concern press through her chest. Evelynn snapped her head over in Ahri’s direction, eyes hard and mistrustful. “Uh…should I?” Ahri asked. She didn’t sound rude, just confused.

Akali rolled her eyes, making meaningful eye contact with Kai’sa a moment later. “See?” she said, patting her flank and leaving her. Kai’sa reached out for her, panic opening up a pit in her chest, but her fingers closed around air. Evelynn clenched her jaw hard, glaring at Ahri, who looked far too drunk for this conversation.

“You’re such a whore,” Evelynn snapped, before her eyes settled upon Kai’sa. “Can you just…watch her, please? She’s so drunk.”

Without waiting for her response, Eve strode off, following Akali into the house. Kai’sa stood, blinking dumbly, with a very drunk lady in her arms that she didn’t know what to do with. Ahri still looked confused, and maybe a little hurt from Evelynn’s harsh words. Kai’sa saw her throat bob as she swallowed before she fixed hazy eyes on her again. “I wore this for you,” she repeated, voice sounding smaller than normal.

Sympathy tugged at Kai’sa’s chest, and she patted Ahri’s back. “I see that,” she told her.

“I’m glad you came,” Ahri said, winding her arms around Kai’sa’s shoulders and pressing against her front, moving to the low, thumping beat of the song. Her movements were pretty smooth, all things considered, and Kai’sa took a moment to be impressed.

“Me too,” she agreed, “I’ve never been inside a sorority house before. They’re so big.”

“You want a tour?” Ahri asked, eyes bright and interested.

Kai’sa smiled, shaking her head. “Maybe some other time,” she said, and hoped Ahri would remember tomorrow morning. There were too many people packed in here now, Kai’sa wouldn’t get the full experience.

“Is that your girlfriend?” Ahri asked her, hands running a slow, deliberate path down her chest.

Kai’sa laughed, shaking her head. “Oh – god no. That’s Akali. She’s my roommate.”

Ahri let loose a happy hum, leaning in close and pressing a kiss against Kai’sa’s neck. “Oh, good. So you’re single, right?” She pulled back, bringing one hand up to press at the dent one of her dimples left in her cheeks. “Fuck, these are cute.”

Kai’sa swallowed hard, leaning back and out of Ahri’s space, uncomfortable with the level of physical contact. “Yes, of course I’m single. Would it matter if I wasn’t?”

“No,” Ahri said, a dangerous smile curling her mouth. Her canines looked very sharp. “It would just make what I’m trying to do harder.”

Kai’sa felt her breath leave her in a singular whoosh. Jesus. Ahri was _flirting_ with her. She’d been flirting with her this whole time. Akali was _right_. Yikes. She was awfully pretty, but the thought of doing something like that made Kai’sa a little nauseous with nerves. Plus, obviously, nothing would happen tonight with as drunk as Ahri was. “Hah, uh. I’m going to go get you some water. Stay here.”

Ahri tightened her hold, surging onto her tiptoes and pressing her full weight against Kai’sa’s front. She was steadily rolling into her with the beat of the song, and Kai’sa settled her hands at the dip of her waist, working hard to keep her upright. “Do you want to have sex with me, Kai’sa?” She leaned closer, bringing her lips up to the shell of her ear, “I’d let you,” she murmured.

Kai’sa breathed out a shaky sigh, gently but firmly pressing Ahri away from her. Stuff like this never tended to happen to her – she wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. Kai’sa was not popular in high school, she was not popular in her first university. People were worse at her first university – probably because she’d attended high school with a fair few of them. Here, people were still dismissive and kind of rude, but no one had been mean to her yet. Still, though, the fact that this incredibly attractive lady was aggressively coming on to her was throwing Kai’sa for a loop. “Stay here,” she repeated firmly, “I’m going to go get you a glass of water.”

She pulled Ahri out of the mass of writhing bodies, settling her in a corner so she could find her more easily in a few minutes. It didn’t take her long to locate the kitchen, and she came back with two bottles of water, only to find Ahri gone from where she’d left her. Cursing violently, Kai’sa stood up on her tiptoes, using her height advantage to try and catch a glimpse of her blonde head. She couldn’t see all that well, so Kai’sa, annoyed and a little nervous, pressed into the sea of bodies again, shouting to ask if anyone had seen Ahri over the thump of the music. Most people either didn’t hear her or were too drunk to care, but eventually, she found someone to point her in the right direction.

She wandered deeper into the house, near the stairs that led to, presumably, the bedrooms where the sorority members slept. There, she found a group of boys, tall and built. She couldn’t tell if they were frat boys or what, but the most important thing was that Ahri was seated on one of their knees, leaning back into him. His arm was slung around her waist. She didn’t look perturbed, there was that, but the scene still made Kai’sa feel a little uneasy. She broke into the group, not caring that she wasn’t invited. “Hey, there you are,” she said, voice sounding a little tight, “I brought you some water.”

Ahri grinned up at her, hands reaching out for something – whether it was the water or Kai’sa herself, Kai’sa couldn’t tell. The boy tightened his hold on her, leaning up, forcing Ahri’s body to move with his. “I got her from here, baby, thanks.”

“Yeah, no,” Kai’sa said, glaring at him, “You don’t.” _That_ was not something Kai’sa was going to just stand by and take. Ahri was very drunk and very vulnerable, and this man was giving her gross vibes that were setting off alarm bells in her head. “Ahri,” she said, following that uneasy gut feeling, “Come here.”

Ahri’s cheeks darkened at the snap of command in Kai’sa’s voice, and she pushed herself shakily up off the boy’s lap, moving over toward her. His hand closed around her retreating wrist, and her body jerked as she was stopped short. “Hey, where you going?” he laughed, tugging her backward.

Kai’sa’s hands snapped out to close over Ahri’s ribs, holding her fast. In a real match of strength, this guy would probably win, but Kai’sa was willing to get her ass beat if it meant not letting Ahri be alone with him. “Ahri,” she said, voice shaking, and an octave higher with her unease.

That cleared some of the fog in Ahri’s expression and she blinked, curling the fingers of her free hand in Kai’sa’s shirt. She deliberately shook free of the man’s hold and Kai’sa pressed her back behind her, keeping one hand touching her at all times. The man’s expression was annoyed, and he stood, towering over them both. He had to be at least 6’4. “Fuck off,” he snapped in Kai’sa’s face. She got the sense he was using his physique to intimidate her. Not going to work.

“No,” she said, backing both her and Ahri up, pressing her against the wall, using her body as a literal shield between him and Ahri.

Something in his expression shifted and he leaned in close, pressing his hand against the wall next to her head. He smiled, appearing to switch tactics in an attempt to sweet-talk her. Doubly not going to work. She could still sense _something_ malicious in the air and Kai’sa didn’t like it at all. “C’mon, baby,” he cooed at her, making her skin crawl, “She’ll be alright with –”

She brought her knee up hard between the crux of his thighs, feeling panicked, and backed into a corner as she stepped forward to crowd her. He choked hard, bending double as he fell to a knee, hands clutching his junk. Kai’sa nudged Ahri along, glancing back to see her hazy expression. She looked a little freaked, so at least she wasn’t entirely immune to the fucked up situation. Good. “We’re good,” she said, just to say _something._ She could hear his friends laughing.

“Fuck – you _bitch_ ,” he groaned, face bright red.

Kai’sa had been called worse, so she just turned and got them the fuck out of dodge as fast as she could. “What happened to staying where I left you?” she asked, voice tight, hands still shaking.

“Sorry,” Ahri murmured, still unsteady on her feet.

Kai’sa sighed, wrapping an arm around Ahri’s shoulders to keep her close. She passed her the water bottle, glad she could feel her, solid and present, pressed against her side. “Drink that,” she told her, voice much softer now, “And lets – god. How about you just come back to my apartment with me?”

Ahri’s eyes went bright and excited and she surged unsteadily onto her tiptoes to press a sloppy kiss against the curve of her cheekbone. “Mm, ‘kay,” she said, smile still ridiculously pretty despite how drunk Ahri was. “Do I get to see that tattoo tonight?”

“No,” Kai’sa said firmly, “You’re drunk and just – no.”

“Are you not into me, baby?”

The term of endearment sounded much better falling from Ahri’s lips. Still, though, she was being annoying. Kai’sa clenched her jaw, fighting down the instinctual urge to snap at her. She was drunk and unused to hearing the word no. But, Kai’sa was _also_ picking up on the fact that people were like toys to Ahri, which was a horribly, _horribly_ unattractive feature. She wasn’t sure she liked her much. She did not answer Ahri’s question, just led her outside and began the long walk back to hers and Akali’s shared apartment. She hadn’t even lasted forty-five minutes at that stupid party. A true record.

She texted Akali as she walked, telling her that Ahri would be staying the night, and asking her to please tell Eve that she was with her. She would normally have just tucked Ahri away in her own room at the Tri Delt house, but she just _didn’t trust_ people there. Ahri was popular enough that she was sure everyone knew where she slept. As drunk as she was, and after dealing with that gross dude, Kai’sa wanted her somewhere safe.

She unlocked the door, leading Ahri in. “Sorry about the mess,” she mumbled, self-consciously snagging one of the many food wrappers Akali left scattered around.

“Ss’okay,” Ahri slurred, collapsing face-first onto the couch, “You should come over here and cuddle with me.”

Kai’sa snorted, rolling her eyes. “What I _should_ do is kick you out, but I’m not going to do that.” She wandered over and scooped Ahri up, feeling a little flushed at the delighted giggle she let out. She was very pretty. It was hard to remind herself that maybe Ahri wasn’t that great of a person. “Come on.”

She tossed her onto her bed, disappearing into the bathroom and coming back with a few makeup wipes. She grabbed a pair of her sweats and a soft t-shirt for Ahri to change into. “Here,” she said awkwardly, “Just get comfortable. You can stay here tonight.”

“Are you gonna sleep with me?” Ahri asked, peeling her clothes off without preamble. Kai’sa flushed, turning so her back was facing her.

“No,” she said firmly, “You can have the bed, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“I sleep better if someone’s in here with me.”

“Too bad,” Kai’sa snapped, blindly reaching for something to throw at Ahri’s dumb bimbo head. Her hands closed over one of her hats and she blindly lobbed it over her shoulder in Ahri’s direction. From her muffled curse, it sounded like it hit. “Get changed, take your makeup off, and go to sleep.”

“I’m hungry,” Ahri said, sounding surly, “And – Kai’sa. I’m stuck. Help.”

Closing her eyes, Kai’sa sighed, turning to see Ahri genuinely stuck in her shirt. She was too drunk to make her limbs work right, apparently. Or maybe she was just being annoying and forcing Kai’sa to touch her. From what little she knew of Ahri at this point, either was plausible. Still, though, she looked ridiculous, and Kai’sa wasn’t cruel enough to not help her. She carefully unwound the fabric from her form, even going so far as to peel the socks from her legs too. Her pants…well. Ahri could handle those. She kept her eyes away from Ahri’s totally bare chest, leveling them instead on her hazy, flushed face. “I’ll go make you something to soak up all the booze in your stomach. Stay here. Please don’t puke on the floor.”

Ahri smiled at her, eyes softer than she’d seen them before. “I won’t puke on the floor.” She snatched Kai’sa’s hand as she went to move away, eyes lowered. “I, um. I don’t know how much of this I’ll remember in the morning, but thank you. For back there. I think maybe that could have been pretty bad.”

“I think you’re right,” Kai’sa agreed, feeling a little sick. She was very very glad Ahri was here and no longer there. “I’ll be right back.”

She pulled out of Ahri’s grasp, wandering into the kitchen to try and make her something that would soak up all that alcohol in her stomach – sober her up a touch. She finally settled on pancakes. She knew that realistically, no one food was better than the other in terms of making people sober up faster, but still. The idea of the carbs doing work still sat in Kai’sa’s head, even _knowing_ it wasn’t true. Plus, the grease tended to do well with drunk people more often than not. She made them big and fluffy, doused them in butter and syrup, and even went so far as to cook Ahri some bacon. She came back into her room a short time later, to see the woman in question passed out. She had rolled over onto her stomach, head turned. She hadn’t taken her makeup off, and Kai’sa sighed, wincing in sympathy for her skin.

She set the food down on the bedside table, carefully tucked Ahri underneath the covers, and went and got some painkillers and a glass of water for when she woke up in the morning. She even tugged her trash can over to rest by the bed in case Ahri needed to hurl. Shaking her head, Kai’sa gave her a soft pat on the back and exited the room, eating the pancakes herself. She stretched out across the couch, making a face. She was going to wake up all kinds of sore in the morning.

She woke up to the soft sound of the door opening, and she blinked blearily around in search of the source. Ahri, looking worse for wear, was staring at her. Her makeup was smudged all across her face and she was drowning in Kai’sa’s too big clothes. She squinted at her, one hand curled around the open door. “Hey,” she croaked, wincing and putting her free hand to her head.

“Hi,” Kai’sa whispered back, sitting up straight and cracking her tense neck.

Ahri stared at her a moment longer, body language tense and closed off. “Did we – did we, uh…” She trailed off, swallowing hard and Kai’sa felt her eyes widen.

“Oh – oh god, Ahri, no. No, we didn’t.”

Ahri’s eyes widened and her shoulders loosened. She stared at Kai’sa like she’d never seen anything quite like her before. “Huh,” she breathed, right before exiting the apartment.

Kai’sa laid there, feeling flummoxed. Maybe hot women were just like that.

***

Ahri took much more of an interest in her after that. She texted her regularly, asking about what she was doing, sending her selfies with _way_ too much cleavage, and even sending her stuff Ahri clearly thought was funny. She was still a genuine pain in the ass during their shared morning class, but she backed off a little. Well – okay, backed off was perhaps not the right word. Her interest seemed to increase tenfold, but she wasn’t as _aggressive_ about her come-ons anymore.

Kai’sa, for her part, just responded and kept a running conversation up via text, which Ahri seemed to really like. She wasn’t really so bad when she wasn’t obviously trying to get something from her. She was actually pretty funny and had some really witty comebacks to Kai’sa’s drier responses. Akali was still standoffish about the whole thing but didn’t needle Kai’sa about it further. Probably for the best. Kai’sa was still pretty sore about Akali up and abandoning her at the sorority party.

Sometimes, Ahri and Eve skipped class, and Kai’sa would let them both borrow her notes. She outright refused to do their homework for them, no matter how hard Ahri begged her. College was supposed to teach, and she wasn’t about to let Ahri especially go flouncing into a legal space without knowing her shit. Ahri just continuously bat her eyelashes, twirled her hair, and pressed against her in the hopes Kai’sa would bend. It was old news now though. She’d had Ahri offer to sleep with her outright and refused; mild, obvious flirting wasn’t going to do anything for her at this point.

When she got sick, Akali was a nightmare. She outright refused to stay in the shared space for fear of getting sick herself. Kai’sa understood it, but it didn’t make dealing with the flu any easier. She was feverish and achy, her throat and head killed. She was missing the cough, thank goodness, but she was still all snotty. It wasn’t fun. She got needy and clingy when she was sick, and she really hoped Akali would be willing to sit with her and let Kai’sa knock out in her lap.

Instead, Akali used a selfie stick to pat her head as she hid in the doorway with a mask on. She told Kai’sa to call her once her plague had passed and that she would find somewhere else to crash while she was making the apartment unlivable. It was dumb, but Kai’sa got it. No one wanted to get sick. She just curled into a blanket burrito on the couch and tried to work up the energy to make herself soup. She didn’t though – too tired to really move more than a foot in either direction. She called her dad, who, predictably, was too busy to really entertain it. Kassadin, while upset for her, basically just told her to hang in there. It wasn’t what Kai’sa wanted or needed.

She just retreated further into her blankets, blowing her nose and sneezing and wanting to die a little bit. Her phone buzzed at around nine and Kai’sa cursed as she hunted it down from within her blanket burrito. Ahri sent her a picture of her pouting face in front of her empty desk, with a series of question marks. Kai’sa just huffed a laugh and set her phone aside, unsure what to respond with. She fitfully slept until about ten, when Ahri called her. Her ringtone roused her, shocking her enough that Kai’sa sat up straight, bringing a rush of vertigo with it. Groaning, she answered. “Hello?” She sounded plugged and gross.

“Oh, baby,” Ahri cooed, sounding genuinely sympathetic, “That explains that. I was worried when you never showed.”

Her voice was a balm on Kai’sa’s aching head and she embarrassingly whined, pressing her phone harder against her ear.

Ahri chuckled, and Kai’sa could imagine her shuffling with her books as she cradled her phone between her ear and shoulder. She wondered what she was wearing – Ahri always looked so put together. “Are you at home?” she asked, “Is Akali with you? I remembered her name this time.”

“Mmph, not funny,” Kai’sa croaked, eyes closing. She would be content to listen to her talk for ages – a shocking new development she didn’t know what to do with.

“It’s a little funny.”

“No, she’s not here. She doesn’t want to catch it.”

There was a silence on the other end of the line. “So you’re there by yourself?”

“Uh-huh,” Kai’sa sighed, tugging the blankets over her head. “It’s alright. I’ll make myself some food eventually.”

Ahri clicked her tongue, and Kai’sa heard her call out a greeting to someone. “Ah – hey Kai? Let me let you go, okay?”

“Mmkay. Have fun,” she said, disconnecting the call. She got a text from Ahri a minute later. Just a single heart that made Kai’sa’s stomach do a funny little flop. She was content to blame it on the flu, even if an upset stomach wasn’t a symptom. Whatever. It was now. She snuggled further under the blankets and went back to sleeping fitfully for another couple of hours.

Her temperature refused to break, and Kai’sa hated it so much. She was cold and sweating, and her whole body felt like it had been punched all over. Her stomach gave a feeble growl, but the idea of getting up to make herself something to eat made Kai’sa want to bury herself further into her blankets and cry. It was noon though and she hadn’t eaten all day. Kai’sa knew she had to do something.

Groaning, she painstakingly rolled off the couch, made it a full three steps to the kitchen, and then heard a knock at the door. Sniffling, Kai’sa ran her hand underneath her nose, making a face. It was so gross, and she felt bad about subjecting whoever was at the door to her germs. Still, though, they knocked. They must want something. Kai’sa opened the door a crack, letting one bleary eye peer out into the hallway. Ahri’s smiling face greeted her, and Kai’sa could smell some sort of food. She carefully opened the door a touch wider.

“Hi,” Ahri laughed, “Let me in. I have soup. I got a bunch from that little deli down the road. Definitely enough to store and just heat up later.”

Kai’sa didn’t listen, despite her stomach giving a very obvious growl. “I don’t want to get you sick,” she said, swallowing against her terribly sore throat.

“Kai’sa,” Ahri said, low and soothing, “I’m not going to get sick. Let me in. This bowl is hot. It’s burning my hands.”

Grumbling, Kai’sa stood aside, trying to take the bowls from Ahri only to be swatted away. She wandered back to her blanket fort, hiding under the covers as she heard Ahri bustling around in the kitchen. She talked – about her day, about the notes she took for Kai’sa in class, about the upcoming game, the upcoming functions for Tri Delt. Kai’sa let her eyes fall closed as she listened, occasionally making some sort of noise to assure Ahri she was still awake and alert. She just felt so terrible.

“Here,” Ahri said, far closer now. Kai’sa felt her hand press against her shoulder from above the blankets.

Kai’sa poked her head out from safety, licking her lips at the bowl of soup in Ahri’s hands. Groaning, she sat upright, crossing her legs and accepting it. Ahri sat next to her and Kai’sa scooted in close. She – well. She just got clingy and needy when she was sick, and Ahri smelled nice and felt warm even from here. Ahri didn’t mention it, just let her arm fall around Kai’sa’s shoulders. “You’re gonna get sick,” Kai’sa grumbled, taking a spoon full of soup and gratefully eating it.

“Maybe,” Ahri agreed, “But I don’t like that you’re here by yourself. The flu sucks. Plus, I had to give you the notes you missed!” She dug around in her bag with her free hand, proudly passing Kai’sa a handful of papers, coated in loopy writing. She looked ridiculously proud of herself and Kai’sa felt her heart go a little soft in her chest.

Huffing out a laugh through her plugged nose, Kai’sa shot her a smile. “Thanks, Ahri,” she said and meant it for more than just the notes. She thumbed at one of the little doodles in the margins, reminding herself to look at those too. She let loose a jaw-cracking yawn, finishing up her soup and feeling a little better for it. She cast a nervous glance at Ahri, who was smiling softly at her before she had to grab a tissue and blow her nose. It was so gross – she didn’t want to scare Ahri off, but she didn’t want to have her nose run all over everything either.

Ahri took her shoes off, lying flat on the couch, her back braced against the arm of it. She made a face, grabbing one of the loose blankets to ball up under her back to give her a little extra cushion. Her skirt rode up her thighs, and Kai’sa tried very hard not to look. “Come here,” she said, patting her stomach.

Kai’sa peered blearily at her for a minute, wanting _very_ badly to press her head against Ahri’s chest, but she was uncertain. They were friends – Kai’sa was confident enough to call them that at this point, but this wasn’t something just friends did was it? She couldn’t say she knew, and she didn’t want to fall into the spider web Ahri loved to weave. She didn’t want to get hurt. But her head was pounding, she was cold, and Ahri had brought her soup and was willing to stick out the flu with her. With that in mind, Kai’sa sighed, unfurling her body and resting it atop Ahri’s.

“Oh –” Ahri groaned, one cool palm pressing against her forehead, “You’re really warm, huh? Did you take anything for it?”

Kai’sa nodded, wrinkling her nose. “Yeah, some DayQuil earlier. It’s not doing much. I think I just have to wait it out.”

Ahri hummed in response, slim fingers combing through her sweaty hair. It felt nice, Ahri treated her with unbearable gentleness. Kai’sa closed her eyes and nuzzled closer, groaning. She clung to her, not wanting to let her go. It wasn’t so much that it was Ahri – just that it was _someone_. _This_ is what she needed when she didn’t feel well – attention and contact. It was something her father never understood. He tried, but he never really understood her. She was resentful of it – angry, even, that he’d never made an effort once her mom died. She didn’t even _remember_ her mother.

“You turn into a big baby when you’re sick, y’know,” Ahri said, the vibration of her chest a delightful, soothing thrum against Kai’sa’s aching head.

Kai’sa flushed, feeling unsettled and comfortable and warm. Ahri smelled nice. Ahri was here. Ahri was being…kind of sweet. “Yeah – well – shut up,” she finished lamely. Ahri held back a laugh, Kai’sa could feel her chest jerk against her head. Amazingly though, Ahri listened. She fell silent, fingers steadily combing through Kai’sa’s hair. Kai’sa breathed deep and let out an equally deep sigh. After a few minutes of silence, Kai’sa tapped Ahri’s side. “Keep talking,” she said quietly.

“About what?”

“I don’t know. Anything.”

Ahri shuffled, reached over to the coffee table, and brought back a book. Kai’sa kept her eyes closed, but she could hear Ahri shuffling through it. “Hm. We’ve never really talked about what you like. I know soccer, science, and math but…” Kai’sa heard a few pages turn. “I see books here. Do you like books?”

“I like books,” Kai’sa whispered. Her fingers tightened in Ahri’s shirt, the delicate lace scratching her palms. “It’s nice to escape into one for a while.”

“You don’t much like it here, huh?” Ahri asked her.

Kai’sa smiled against her chest, sniffling. “It’s not that. I don’t dislike it here. I just…” She trailed off, unsure how to broach this topic, unsure she even wanted to. Akali’s warnings were still ringing in her head, and she’d _seen_ how Ahri could treat people. Ahri didn’t treat her like that anymore, but still. God – she was here though. She was here and letting Kai’sa press her feverish body up against her. She was combing through her hair and bringing her soup. It was sweet and she was so so pretty. “I’m not very good with people. Sometimes books are easier. Math is easier. Sports are easier.”

“Mm,” Ahri hummed, and that especially felt nice against her head. “Yeah. You’re not very good with people. I always wondered why. You’re so pretty, you know?”

“I don’t see what that has to do with anything,” Kai’sa sighed, not even flushing. Ahri showered her in so many bogus compliments that she wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t anymore.

“It just surprises me you weren’t more popular. That’s all.”

Kai’sa laughed, before abruptly wincing. Ahri pressed a cool palm to her head, squeezing her a little tighter. “I just recently got to this point. In high school, I was scrawny and too tall. None of my clothes fit right, my teeth were all messed up. I had glasses with the big roll of tape in the middle of them – it wasn’t good. Even then I liked weird stuff – didn’t have very many friends. I grew into my body by the time college rolled around, but a lot of people I went to high school with were there too. I couldn’t escape that part of it. Then I moved here and I mean – well. I’m still not very good with people.”

Ahri hummed again, one hand stroking down her sweaty back. “I’m not either,” she said quietly.

Kai’sa cracked an eye open, glaring blearily at her. “Oh – Miss ‘I know a lot of people.’ Please.”

Ahri fixed her with a humorless smile. “I know a lot of people, but not a lot of people know me.”

Kai’sa frowned, tucking her head back against Ahri’s chest and scooting closer. She ended up with her ribs slotted between Ahri’s splayed thighs, her cheek resting against her chest.

Ahri sighed, curling her fingers into the sore muscles of Kai’sa’s back. “You’re very easy to talk to. I’m sorry. I like you a lot.”

“It’s okay,” Kai’sa murmured, wishing the couch was bigger so she could roll them over and curl against Ahri’s back. “What do you mean? I like you a lot too.” She hadn’t before this – she liked Ahri fine but had kept her at a comfortable distance. This though…this won Ahri some points.

“I just mean –” Ahri cut herself off, sighing, “It sounds so stupid when I say it out loud. I guess just – I’ve always been expected to be something. My parents are big names and run this town, so even from the time I was a baby, everyone expected so much. I never really had a whole lot of time to kind of mess around and figure out what I liked?” She huffed out a laugh, a tense silence settling between them.

Kai’sa raised her head, folding her arms over Ahri’s chest and resting the point of her chin against them. Her head throbbed with the action, but this was the most candid conversation Ahri had ever had with her. Despite herself, she was interested, even with Akali’s warnings ringing in the back of her mind. “You can keep talking,” Kai’sa told her.

Ahri glanced down at her, honey gold eyes warm in the afternoon light. She rested a cool palm against Kai’sa’s head, walking her fingers around to the back of her neck. She pressed against the tense muscle there and Kai’sa let her head fall back down to rest atop her chest again. She groaned, bright lights popping behind her eyes. Apparently, pressure against those muscles was excellent. Who knew.

“I guess I just…I’ve always had this expectation hanging over my head and the only way I could deal with it was being…what you see. Charming, engaging, pretty, and easily pliable. I think – well, my parents don’t like that I feel like that, but I also think they kind of enjoy what it gives them. I have a magnetic personality. It draws people to them, but it doesn’t give me a lot of time to do what I want.”

“So…you don’t want to flirt with everyone? Throw parties? Have fun? All that?”

“No, I do,” Ahri said with a harsh sigh, “I do. I guess it’s just…that’s all that people know me for anymore and whenever I step outside that persona…” She sighed, taking to running her nails up and down Kai’sa’s back. “When I step outside it, people stop looking at me. I like it when people look at me.”

Kai’sa chewed over that for a minute, looping her arms back around Ahri’s body and squeezing her tight. Well…as tight as possible with her busted ass body.

“That’s why I like you so much,” Ahri said quietly, “You look at me no matter what.”

“So why do you treat people like you do then?”

“What?”

“You treat people like toys. Fun little fleeting amusements that pass by every day. You have no shortage of them. I imagine that’s why you came onto me so hard when we first met.”

Ahri was silent for a while, but Kai’sa felt her uneasily shift like she wanted to get out from under her. She didn’t though, hand still soft in her hair. “I came on to you because I thought you were pretty,” she said, voice tight.

“And because you thought you could bend me to your will.”

Ahri shifted again, and Kai’sa heard her swallow hard. “I – I don’t…I don’t treat people like toys.”

“You made out with my roommate at a party once, apparently obnoxiously flirted for three days till _something_ happened – whether it was that or something else, I don’t know, and then completely forgot she existed.”

“Is that what this is about?” Ahri said, characteristic tease back in her tone, “You’re jealous of your roommate?”

“Ahri.”

Kai’sa felt her shift again, and she could only imagine that pretty face pinching, displeasure written in every line. “If you don’t like me, you can just say so,” she said, sounding surly.

“Ahri – stop. I like you fine. I just think maybe you’ve got some ugly traits in there too. I just think…you should consider how you treat people more.”

“I never meant to treat you like a toy,” Ahri whispered after a long stretch of silence. Kai’sa had almost nodded off against her chest. “I don’t mean to treat people like toys. It’s so much easier to just get what I want when I don’t think too hard about it. I’m…I’m really sorry that I made you feel like that. Kai’sa…I don’t want to treat you like a toy. I don’t want you to think I’m just doing this because I want something. I _like_ you. I want you to know that.”

Something shifted in her chest, and Kai’sa felt a little sick again. Her head spun, and she was hit with the horrifying realization that she had a big fat crush on the blonde dumbass she was flopped all over. Oh _no_. She liked her despite those shitty, terrible qualities. Because there was good in there too. She was here. Ahri was _here_. Ahri was nice, and she was funny, and maybe she needed to do some work to make herself a little better, but Ahri was _trying_. “I like you too,” Kai’sa told her, “And I know. You treated me differently after the party. I knew then.”

“Yeah,” Ahri whispered, “I think I knew then too. I kind of liked the way you looked at me when I left that morning. Like you still…I don’t know. Respected me a little.”

“Babe,” she breathed, internally wincing at the term of endearment. It felt weird falling from her lips. “Ahri,” she tried, pleased that it sounded better, “Of course I respect you. I would have respected you even if we did sleep together. I like you. I like you even if you have some less than stellar qualities.”

Ahri sighed, and Kai’sa glanced up to see her brow pinching. “What do you want me to do? I don’t treat you like that anymore.”

“I mean, a good place to start would be to stop treating _everyone_ like that. I like you here. I like when you talk to me about stuff that’s on your mind. I like that you’re not just…” Kai’sa frowned, closing her eyes against the throb of her head. “You seem real. Not like when I first met you. I like it when you’re real.”

Ahri kept up the slow, gentle stroke through her hair, her breathing deep and even. “Hm. Point taken. I’ll try.”

That was really all Kai’sa could ask of her. She just wanted Ahri to try to treat people better. She had a feeling Ahri would be much happier if she wasn’t just wearing a mask – a shitty one at that – all the time. “Hey Ahri?” she murmured, a wave of genuine exhaustion hitting as her whole body gave a nasty ache.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Thanks for coming,” Kai’sa said through a jaw-cracking yawn. She was asleep about five minutes later.

She didn’t even mind returning the favor when Ahri, predictably, also caught her flu.

\----

Things got even better after that. Ahri actively tried to be better. She outright apologized to Akali, which was genuinely hilarious. Akali called her every mean name under the sun and Kai’sa didn’t even bother to stop her. Ahri probably kind of deserved it. She accepted Ahri’s stink eye and tried not to laugh when Akali offered her a controller once she was done yelling.

Ahri and Evelynn spent a lot more time in her and Akali’s shared apartment. Sometimes separately, oftentimes together. Kai’sa would cook for them, Akali would either play games and yell while Ahri and Evelynn talked, or she’d chime in with her own off-the-wall suggestions. Ahri still obnoxiously flirted, but it was muted – it kind of seemed like she didn’t expect anything from Kai’sa anymore. It was nice – it took the pressure off – but there was the nasty little complication of Kai’sa outright liking her back. She just wasn’t super sure if Ahri was serious about it or if it was just fun. She didn’t want to get hurt.

Ahri showed up at a rec league game, which shocked Kai’sa so much that she took a ball to the face and promptly got a massive nosebleed. She sulked while Ahri cried laughing, her hands soft as they worked the blood off her skin. Ahri didn’t understand the game of soccer at all and peppered Kai’sa with questions as she worked.

_(“You don’t even like soccer, why do you care, why did you come?”_

_“No, but you do. You like it. That’s why I came.”)_

Kai’sa started seeking her out during the week. She still avoided the Tri Delt house – she felt like too big a coward to go knock on the door and surround herself with pretty sorority girls. Plus, she had a nasty feeling that Ahri was probably still flirting and probably doing more with other people too. It made her chest ache, and Kai’sa didn’t want to think about it too hard. So, she just tried to nail her down for – well. Lunches, mostly. She didn’t have time for much else, and Ahri spent a lot of time at her apartment eating dinner anyway. From the sharp curve of Ahri’s smile, Kai’sa got the sense that Ahri knew exactly what she was doing.

It was on one of these days that Kai’sa discovered it might be more than just a crush. She was trailing behind Ahri in the dining hall, picking at her lunch as Ahri chattered mindlessly next to her. Her fingers brushed across Kai’sa’s hand, her forearm, her ribs, her hips. Ahri had no shortage of physical touch. Kai’sa was slowly learning to be more comfortable with it.

“Oh!” Ahri laughed, “Come on! Let’s sit over here. I see Eve, she looks like she needs help.”

Kai’sa followed Ahri’s pointing finger, her height advantage giving her a distinct leg up. She saw Eve looking bored, viciously stabbing a piece of chicken with a fork. Her brow was angrily furrowed, and Kai’sa thought she looked about ready to murder whoever she was with. Her eyes slid over to see and – hm. That was why. She froze, and Ahri continued walking, studying her nails and mindlessly chattering until she noticed, a good five feet away from her.

“What?” she asked, looking genuinely concerned, which was kind of sweet, really, as she walked back over to her.

“That’s – mm.”

Ahri cocked her head to the side, looking confused in the direction of Kai’sa’s eye line. “ _What_ , Kai?”

“You don’t remember, but that guy – he was – mm. That night I took you home from the party? I was taking you away from him.”

A slow, creeping horror made its way across Ahri’s face, and she switched her salad to her left hand, reaching out to touch Kai’sa with her right. “Really?”

“Really,” she snapped, feeling anxious and uneasy. “I don’t want to go over there.”

“You don’t have to,” Ahri told her softly, standing up on her tiptoes to brush a warm kiss across her cheekbone, “But I have to go rescue Eve.”

Grumbling, Kai’sa reached out to hold Ahri’s hand, falling into step next to her. Ahri turned warm, amused eyes toward her, but mercifully didn’t say anything.

“Hey,” Ahri chirped, and Kai’sa could see the mask settle over her. It was the small things – the tightening of her shoulders, the coolness of her eyes. Kai’sa could even see it in her smile. It didn’t stretch as wide, almost like Ahri was afraid to show too much emotion. Kai’sa didn’t like it. “We saw you guys from over there. This is Kai’sa. Can we sit?”

Evelynn looked up, relief playing starkly across her face. “God, yes, hey.”

Kai’sa grinned, looking over to see the man looking directly at her. She wasn’t getting anything cruel from him, but he _was_ looking at her. He had his arm around some girl, who was _also_ looking at her, seemingly displeased with the man’s level of attention being focused where it was. Hm. Kai’sa just settled herself next to Ahri, reluctantly dropping her hand to let her eat. She stayed silent, listening to Eve and Ahri talk amongst themselves.

“Kai’sa, huh?” the man asked her, his foot knocking against her ankle under the table.

Kai’sa grimaced, nodding her head. She didn’t dignify it with a response. Fuck this guy.

“Yeah, I guess I never did get your name that night. Tell me Kai’sa, what are you into?”

Ahri didn’t seem to be listening, simply laughing with Eve as she ate. Kai’sa swallowed, feeling cornered and uncomfortable again. “Uh. Science. Math. Books.”

“Ahri?” he asked, gently, prodding. His smile curled across his face and Kai’sa didn’t like the look of it. His girlfriend, or whoever she was, just looked on, her own grin starting a slow path across her face. Maybe she liked when he was a dick.

“I guess,” Kai’sa said, voice tight as she shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. She wasn’t all that hungry anymore.

“Cute,” he said. “I noticed your book there. What’s it about?”

Kai’sa tapped her fingers along the cover, not wanting to have this conversation. It was a weird interest of hers – she didn’t want to share with this piece of garbage. “Uh, nothing all that interesting. But it’s got a sympathetic main character and I like that.”

“You hear that?” he laughed, nudging the girl next to him, “Sympatheytic. Who says it like that?”

“I’m from South Africa,” Kai’sa said, “So South Africans –” She felt Ahri’s hand on her knee under the table, heard the conversation die off to her right. She felt like her head was suddenly doused in cold water. “Oh. You’re making fun of me.”

“So she finally gets it. You’re not as dumb as you loo—”

“Funny,” Ahri cut in smoothly, “If we want to talk about dumb, should we talk about your treatment of me at that party last month? Or is that too much of a secret to tell your _cute_ little girlfriend there, Jared?” The man, Jared, went white as a sheet and Ahri clicked her tongue. “Oh, cute. You thought I wouldn’t remember. Funny, if I recall correctly, the law in this state classifies rape in the first degree as several things, one of which, and I quote is ‘he or she engages in sexual intercourse with a member of the opposite sex who is incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless or mentally incapacitated.’ Tell me, would you consider me in my right state of mind that night, Jared?”

He went bright red, his girlfriend glancing sharply over toward him, a slowly dawning horror creeping across her face.

“Hm,” Ahri said, tapping her chin with her index finger, “Funny, I wouldn’t either. You’re just mad that Kai’sa took me away from you before you could do something that I could get you outright arrested for. I don’t care how popular you are, darling boy, or how good a sport you play. In a dick measuring contest, baby? Mine’s bigger.” Ahri stood, the chair scraping noisily against the floor. “Come on, Kai’sa.”

Kai’sa obediently stood, her jaw on the floor. She caught sight of Evelynn’s gleeful expression as she too rose. Eve even went so far as to knock her purse against the back of Jared’s head. Kai’sa heard his girlfriend engage him in a whispered conversation as she trailed behind Ahri, something alien burning in her chest. Pride, maybe? Affection definitely. She reached for her, both hands closing around her arm. Ahri paused, pink splotches settling high in her cheeks.

“Your accent is very cute. Don’t listen to him.”

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Kai’sa said, wide-eyed as she stared at the side of Ahri’s face. She could feel Eve’s eyes burning into her, but she didn’t care. Her whole brain felt like it was on fire with _something_ and all she wanted to do was wrap Ahri up and hug her tight. She didn’t need anyone to defend her – in fact, Kai’sa was quite apt at ignoring people making fun of her, but _still_. Ahri didn’t have to do what she did, but she stepped in and did something to make Kai’sa feel more comfortable. Kai’sa didn’t know what she felt, but she knew it wasn’t platonic.

Ahri’s hands clenched at her sides and she stopped, turning around and pulling Kai’sa in by the collar of her shirt. She stood on her tiptoes, throwing her arms around Kai’sa’s shoulders and hugging her tight. Feeling strange and unfamiliar, Kai’sa responded, tucking her face against the top of Ahri’s head. “Thank you,” she mumbled, resistant to letting Eve hear. She liked Evelynn, but this seemed like something between just her and Ahri.

“You’re welcome,” she sighed, “People – I – I don’t like when people make fun of you.” She was tripping over her words, which was so uncharacteristic that Kai’sa took note. She squeezed her tighter before letting her go in favor of cupping her face.

“I don’t either,” she admitted, “But you don’t have to defend me like that. People make fun of me all the time. I’m not unused to it.”

“I know,” Ahri said quietly, eyes soft as she brought a hand up to wrap around Kai’sa’s wrist, “But I want to.”

Swallowing thickly, Kai’sa nodded, shooting a nervous glance over to Evelynn as she let Ahri go. Eve looked interested, brows furrowing as she glanced back and forth between her and Ahri.

“Really?” Eve said, arching a brow.

Kai’sa watched Ahri go violently pink in the face and she couldn’t meet either her or Evelynn’s gaze. She didn’t respond to Eve’s prodding – she just reached back and grabbed Kai’sa’s hand instead. “Walk me to class,” she muttered.

Kai’sa had no real issue with that, so she did.

***

When the news hit about her father, Kai’sa was alone. She got the call from the hospital at approximately eleven twenty-seven on a Wednesday night. The nurse was very sweet and very understanding, but couldn’t do much to calm Kai’sa’s panic over the phone. He was very sick, they said – he hadn’t wanted to bother her until things got bad enough for Kai’sa to really worry. Kai’sa had never been particularly close with Kassadin, but he was still her father. She wasn’t sure what to _do_ from here. He was sick and hadn’t told her and now – as far as she knew – he could be dying. If he died, Kai’sa didn’t know what she was going to do.

Akali was out doing Akali things. She couldn’t talk to her about it. Kai’sa felt her breath hitch harshly in her chest, she felt a hard knot take stubborn refuge in her throat. She didn’t want to be here. Like a fool, Kai’sa left the apartment, knowing damn well it was a terrible idea. She left her phone on the couch and didn’t realize it until she was a block away from the building. It was unsafe – it was late and their apartment wasn’t in the best part of town. Still, though, she didn’t stop. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and she walked with no real destination in mind. Everything felt foggy and Kai’sa felt disconnected from the world in a mildly alarming way.

She found herself standing in front of the Tri Delt house. The thought of seeing Ahri made her chest clench, made her feel like crying. Emotions were confusing, and Kai’sa didn’t know what else to do, but she knew she wanted to be here. She knocked on the door, not knowing what she looked like. It couldn’t be good. The door opened in short order and some sorority girl she’d never seen before raised an eyebrow at her.

“Is Ahri here?” she asked, alarmed at how gasping and anxious her voice sounded.

“Oh my – this is like the eighth one this week. I’m not letting another booty call in here for her. Go away.”

“I’m not – I’m not a –”

The girl’s brows furrowed and Kai’sa watched mild concern flit across her expression. “Dude, are you like…on something?”

A pair of hands settled across the woman’s shoulders and she glanced back. Evelynn’s face swam into Kai’sa’s hazy vision. “Go get Ahri,” Eve told the other woman, “Now.” Evelynn stepped outside, reaching out to close her fingers loosely around Kai’sa’s wrist. “Come on, Kai’sa…come sit with me.”

“Okay,” Kai’sa breathed, content to let Evelynn lead for now. She settled down onto the steps of the Tri Delt house, staring hard at a pebble that was leaned up against the too-perfect grass. “I – I don’t know why I came here.”

Eve gave a noncommittal hum, and Kai’sa could feel her gaze boring into the side of her face. “Would you like me to call Akali?”

Kai’sa thought, breathing shallow and uneven. She thought she might like Akali here, yes, but she didn’t really know what she wanted. Her whole brain felt like it had been doused in ice water. She felt sluggish and strange, like she was looking at everything through a fog. But, always at the edge of her consciousness, Kai’sa felt like _something_ was going to come crashing over her. “I don’t know,” she said, sounding choked off and strange.

Evelynn shuffled awkwardly and Kai’sa watched her expression twist out of the corner of her eye. “Are you…hurt?” she asked, “Ahri’s coming.”

“No,” Kai’sa said, feeling her breathing begin to turn genuinely ragged and uneven. She was afraid she was going to hyperventilate. “She doesn’t need to. She sounds busy with someone else.” That was a nasty fact she hadn’t needed to be reminded of, really.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Eve asked, sounding like she wanted to do anything but.

Ahri’s arrival saved them both. Kai’sa heard the door behind them open, heard Eve let loose a harsh sigh as she rose to her feet. “What the hell? You sent a freshman to come get me and like –”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” Eve said without preamble. Kai’sa didn’t bother to rise or stop staring at that stupid pebble.

“What are you talking ab – oh.” Ahri’s warm hand settled along Kai’sa’s tensed shoulder. The contact made her panic further and Kai’sa clenched her hands in her lap. “Hey,” Ahri said, and suddenly her mouth was pressed right up against her ear, “What’s going on?”

She didn’t want to have this conversation in front of Evelynn. So, she didn’t say anything.

Ahri sighed. “Eve, go inside,” she demanded. Once the door closed, Ahri tried again. “What’s going on, Kai?”

“I’m sorry,” she blurted. Tears made hot treks down her cheeks. She felt safe and comfortable with Ahri, and as soon as that happened, the tears broke free. She was scared and anxious, and panicky and she felt like she was going to throw up. “I don’t know why I came here Ahri, I didn’t know where else to go. I didn’t even _mean_ to come here and I’m sorry if I interrupted a booty call, I just – I –”

Ahri looked genuinely flabbergasted, and it took her a minute to respond. “Kai’sa, hey, it’s okay. It’s alright. You didn’t interrupt anything. I was up there by myself. You’re scaring me, pretty girl, what’s going on?”

Kai’sa tried to talk, but only got out a sort of choked-out gasp. Ahri was in spandex and a sports bra, and Kai’sa, strangely, focused on how nice the muscles of her shoulders looked. It was something tangible to focus on – not the mind-numbing panic that was opening a pit beneath her feet. She looked directly at her shoulders, reaching out and closing her hands over them as her breathing became genuinely alarming. She was breathing so fast she felt like she was drowning. She thought she was hyperventilating. “I think my dad’s dying,” she managed to choke out, right before she genuinely couldn’t talk anymore. Her throat closed up, her chest tightened, and Kai’sa really thought she was going to die right here on a sorority doorstep.

“Oh jesus,” Ahri breathed. She peeled one of Kai’sa’s hands off her shoulder and pressed it firmly against her chest. “Okay, please don’t – just. Maybe just feel this, okay? Try and breathe?”

Even though Ahri was fumbling her way through it, it _did_ help. Kai’sa felt the panic ease with the introduction of a new stimulus. She blinked, eyes zeroing in on her palm pressed flat against Ahri’s chest. She felt the rapid flutter of her heartbeat, and she gasped, air flooding into her lungs. “It’s beating so fast,” she murmured distractedly, “Why is your heart beating so fast?”

Something bittersweet flashed across Ahri’s expression and her smile was heartbreakingly sad. “Because you’re here.”

Without thinking much about it, Kai’sa swallowed hard and just did what she wanted to do. She stepped forward into Ahri’s space, cupped her hands around her cheeks, and leaned down to press their lips together. She felt Ahri stiffen in surprise, felt her mouth open against hers in a gasp. Kai’sa didn’t press it further than a warm press of lips, but she _was_ surprised Ahri didn’t try anything. Her hands came up to rest against Kai’sa’s collar, but she didn’t step closer.

Kai’sa pulled away after a beat, panic still rising in her chest, her stomach, her head. She had a distinct feeling that kissing Ahri how she did was, one, a grief response, and two something she _really_ wanted to do but would have had the balls to in her right mind. Hm. Pros and cons, or whatever.

Ahri looked legitimately dazed, her cheeks bright pink. “Oh wow,” she breathed, swallowing noisily, “I didn’t think – oh wow.”

Kai’sa felt her brow furrow and she took to pacing, anxious energy flooding her system. She wanted to kiss Ahri again. She also wanted to cry, run, fight someone, break something – Kai’sa didn’t know what she wanted. Warm hands closed around her forearm, and Ahri firmly pulled her to a stop. She still looked a little dazed, but the worst of the fog had cleared from her expression. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Ahri,” Kai’sa admitted, voice cracking.

Ahri pressed her mouth together in a thin line, glancing away from her like the statement hurt. Kai’sa felt a confusing pang of guilt, but she didn’t know what she needed to be guilty for. “I know,” Ahri sighed, “Why don’t we go inside? You can take a shower and we can watch movies and you can sleep with me. Okay?”

The thought was _wonderful_ , and Kai’sa felt her bottom lip quiver, her eyes fill with tears. “Okay,” she said, voice thick with suppressed emotion. She leaned in, aching to be held. Ahri obliged her. She hugged her close, tucking her head against Kai’sa’s shoulder and rubbing her back in long, soothing strokes. Kai’sa breathed unsteadily, wrapping her arms around Ahri’s lower back and hugging her so tight she felt her spine pop. She was a little embarrassed about wetting her bare shoulder with her tears, but she couldn’t help herself. She didn’t know what to do, or who to call, or what action to take. She felt lost in the worst way and Ahri was a warm, solid anchor to the material plane that smelled like orange blossom.

Ahri pulled away, offering Kai’sa a soft, tentative smile as she brought her thumb up to brush away her tears. “Come on,” she murmured, taking Kai’sa’s hand and leading her inside. She ignored people calling out to her in favor of walking them both directly up the stairs. She led them both to a closed door, and Kai’sa took note of both Ahri’s and someone named Irelia’s names on the front. She didn’t expect roommates in a sorority house. Oh god. Kai’sa froze, and by extension, Ahri did too.

As if sensing what her apprehension was about, Ahri breathed out a laugh, stroking her thumb along Kai’sa’s hand. “Irelia is never home. She practically lives with her boyfriend at this point. It’s just us, I promise.”

Ahri had no reason to lie to her, and Kai’sa really just wanted to be inside, locked away from the outside world and by extension, maybe, her feelings. She just nodded jerkily and let herself be led inside. It was impeccably decorated which just…tracked. One side of the room was sparser, but Ahri’s, or at least the side Kai’sa _presumed_ to be Ahri’s, was very put together. Her bedspread was white, but there was a lot of pink in there too. The main colors seemed to be gold, pink, and white. Kai’sa swallowed thickly, moving forward to investigate the space. It gave her something to do – something to focus on that wasn’t the mind-numbing panic.

There was a pretty spacious closet area and more storage underneath the twin bed. That gave Kai’sa pause – how were both of them supposed to fit? Oh well, a problem for when they actually laid down. Her eyes tracked several pictures. There were a ton with people Kai’sa didn’t know – ones where Ahri looked drunk and hung off them – some where she looked sober and was mid-laugh. Those were Kai’sa’s favorite. There were a lot of photos with Evelynn, probably more of those than anything else. Kai’sa saw one with what she presumed to be Ahri’s parents. Her mother was Ahri made over, it was eerie how much they looked alike. The older woman had dark hair, and her father did too. Ahri must have colored hers.

On the bedside table was a framed picture of her and Ahri, which took her by such surprise that she paused. Ahri was in her lap, grinning brightly at the lens as her forefinger and thumb pressed into Kai’sa’s cheeks – right where her dimples resided. Ahri really loved it when they came out to play – it never seemed to get old. Kai’sa was smiling too, and she could remember when the photo was taken. It was in hers and Akali’s apartment, during one of their study dates. Eve was responsible for the photo itself. Kai’sa didn’t have a copy – she figured she might have framed it too. Still, the realization that Ahri did made her chest feel warm and her knees feel weak.

“Do you want to take a shower?” Ahri asked from behind her, her hand pressing between her shoulder blades.

“Yeah…I think I do,” Kai’sa said, feeling a knot take refuge in her throat again. “Ahri, I don’t –”

“I know, baby. It’s okay. We can talk about it when you calm down. Or not. Whatever you need.”

Kai’sa closed her eyes against the harsh rush of gratitude. She turned, pulling Ahri close and wrapping her in a hug. She scooped her up off her feet so she didn’t have to stay hunched to initiate contact. Ahri huffed a laugh against her head, loosely hooking her legs around Kai’sa’s waist and hugging her back the best she could. It was warm and nice and Kai’sa felt the steadily thumping panic ease the longer she stayed pressed against her. It was really _not_ just a crush.

She set her down again, looking around the room in search of a bathroom.

“We have to share,” Ahri said with a wince, “The house, I mean. But I promise it’s not gross.” She went to the closet and pulled out a rolled-up towel, biting her bottom lip as she gave Kai’sa a once-over. “I, um. I don’t have very many – well, _any_ – clothes that will fit you. You’re too tall.”

Kai’sa blinked, frowning hard and pressing the towel to her chest.

“I have boy clothes? But those will probably be too big.” Ahri said, wrinkling her nose.

“Are they clean?” Kai’sa asked, feeling the most bizarre urge to laugh.

“Mm. Mostly?”

“Can I just – I’ll just be naked. Can we wash my clothes? I’ll be naked until then.”

Ahri went pink in the face but nodded holding her hands out like she wanted Kai’sa to toss them to her now. She followed that bizarre urge to laugh this time. It sounded genuinely terrible, choked off, and anxious. Ahri winced when she heard it and Kai’sa didn’t blame her. “I should maybe not walk around the Tri Delt house naked.”

Ahri smiled, her eyes soft and indulgent. “I do it. No one complains.”

“Because you’re you,” Kai’sa said, reaching out and brushing the backs of her fingers over Ahri’s cheek. She wanted to kiss her again – very badly.

Ahri rolled her eyes, but a smile stubbornly tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Get out of here you tall drink of water, I’ll find something for us to watch.”

Kai’sa did as she was bid, finding the bathroom and taking a shower, washing off the steadily drying tear tracks on her face. She stayed underneath the spray for far too long, staring blankly at the shower wall. She still felt alien in her own body, but she knew that she wanted to be around Ahri. She was making a plan in her head – she needed to go home and see her father in the hospital. That was a no-brainer now that she’d calmed a touch. But she also needed to make sure she got all of her affairs in order here first. She’d need to request an extension on any assignments – she wasn’t sure how long she would be gone. She didn’t know how long her father had left, or if he was even going to pass at all. Kai’sa was just planning for the worst.

She needed to tell Akali as well – then she needed to pack a bag, pack her car up, and drive the four hours it was going to take her to get back home. Kai’sa sighed, closing her eyes against the warm spray of the shower. One thing at a time. Nothing was going to get done tonight, her head felt too stuffed full. Kai’sa took a sudden, sharp breath, vowing to just let whatever the hell she was feeling happen. Ahri would be there for her. She’d let her into her space, she was hugging her and didn’t slap her when Kai’sa kissed her. Oof. That was another thing to consider.

Whining, Kai’sa shook the thought free – she didn’t have time for that right now. She stepped out of the shower, brushed her hair, and wrapped a towel firmly around her body. She scooped her clothes up, toying with the idea of just putting them back on. But she’d walked a long way, she’d worn them all day. She was afraid she’d feel gross again if she just redressed herself. Washing them was the best choice. Sighing, she tucked it under her arm and made her way back to Ahri’s room. She shyly tugged the towel more firmly around her body as she handed over her dirty clothes to Ahri to wash. Ahri just smiled at her – which was _very_ pretty – and tapped her on the flank as she left the room.

Kai’sa sank onto the twin bed, staring at her palms and spiraling again. Then, Ahri came back, and her brain went quiet. Ahri crawled over her and flopped across the small twin bed. “Come over here,” she told her, patting her stomach.

Kai’sa bit the inside of her cheek, looking down at her towel-clad body and feeling a little uncomfortable. Ahri smiled at her, making a show of covering her eyes. It was startlingly sweet and Kai’sa felt one side of her mouth quirk as she loosed the towel. She settled herself against the wall, tugging the sheet and comforter over her bare skin. She tucked it up under her chin and curled into Ahri’s side. They were forced to press very close, but that was okay. Kai’sa was pretty sure she was going to elbow Ahri in the stomach at some point tonight but…eh.

Ahri curled her arm around Kai’sa’s bare back, turning on the tv she had settled into the wall. “Documentary or cheesy rom-com?” she asked, fingers swirling across Kai’sa’s skin.

“Rom-com,” Kai’sa mumbled, boldly pressing a kiss to Ahri’s shoulder. Ahri hummed at the action, putting on something light-hearted and letting the droning noise settle over them both. Her fingers swirled along her skin and Kai’sa slowly relaxed, letting her eyes fall closed as she enjoyed the sensation.

“I have to drive home tomorrow,” she sighed.

“ _We_ have to drive home tomorrow,” Ahri countered.

Brows furrowing, Kai’sa cracked an eye open. “Ahri, that’s crazy, you don’t have to come with me.”

“I wasn’t asking.”

Kai’sa let loose a disbelieving laugh, blinking her eyes. She’d never met _anyone_ like this before. “You’re a huge pain in the ass, you know that, right?”

Ahri smiled, squeezing Kai’sa closer. “Pain in the ass, princess, brat – I’ve heard it all, Dimples. Doesn’t stop me from getting my way though.”

Kai’sa nipped at her shoulder – it was the only thing she could think to do that would convey her annoyance. It wasn’t as annoying as it should have been – by now Ahri’s bullshit was kind of endearing. She took it without much complaint though. Kai’sa didn’t _want_ to go by herself, and Ahri was impossible when she set her mind to something. Having her there would make it easier. She just smoothed a hand up Ahri’s stomach, hearing Ahri’s shaky inhale in response, and went back to dozing.

About halfway through the stupid movie, Kai’sa decided to spill. “I don’t really know what’s going on,” she admitted, “I just got a call from the hospital and they said he was really sick. I don’t think they know if he’s going to make it.”

“He didn’t tell you?”

Kai’sa tensed, and from the way Ahri kissed her forehead, she was pretty sure the other woman could feel it. “No, he didn’t. We never had the best relationship and he just – I don’t think he really knows how to talk to me. I don’t think he ever did.”

“Well, what’s your mom doing? Siblings?”

Kai’sa swallowed hard, closing her eyes. “It’s just me.”

“Oh,” Ahri breathed, tapping her fingers against Kai’sa’s shoulder. “Well – okay. That’s…hm.”

“I don’t know what to do if he dies, Ahri. Like…how do you organize a funeral. Take care of a mortgage payment. I don’t – I don’t know what to do.”

“Can I help?” Ahri asked, voice small.

“Please.”

“I’m going to call my mom on the way to visit your dad tomorrow.”

Kai’sa startled, face turning pink. “Your – your mom?”

Ahri brushed her fingers over the high arch of Kai’sa’s cheekbone. “Yeah, pretty girl. My mom. She’s really good with contracts. I’m good too – pre-law, hello – but she’s much better. She can help you _if_ and it’s a big if, Kai’sa, don’t get ahead of yourself, the worst happens.”

She let out a stuttering breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She felt like crying again, but instead swallowed down the darn _speech_ that was aching to burst forth. “Do you want to see my tattoo?” she said instead.

Ahri blinked, brows furrowing. “You give me whiplash,” she murmured, pinching the bridge of her nose, “But yes. I do.”

Kai’sa eased the blanket down so it rested at her waist. She was laying on her right side, which was helpful. She rested her arm above her head and let Ahri explore to her heart’s content.

Humming low in her throat, Ahri took full advantage. Her fingers walked over the sharp, clear lines, swirled through the shading. “This is really not how I thought I would see this for the first time,” she said, tone light and teasing.

Kai’sa smiled, let out a laugh that sounded tired, but genuine. “And how did you think you’d see it?” she asked, pretty sure she knew the answer.

Ahri stayed quiet for a bit, still steadily tracing the tattoo. “I didn’t.”

Kai’sa frowned. “What?”

“I didn’t think I was going to see it. At first, I did. I was _so_ confident that we’d fuck by like the end of the week I met you. But then it didn’t happen. And you weren’t interested. So I didn’t think I’d ever see it.”

Kai’sa closed her eyes, her heart giving a funny squirm in her chest. “You’re my favorite person in the world,” she sighed, “I’m very interested.”

Ahri’s fingers stopped moving and Kai’sa heard her breath hitch. It was only for a moment though. “Good,” Ahri said quietly, “So am I.”

\----

True to her word, Ahri accompanied her home, chattering the whole way. She called her mother and Kai’sa went red in the face as she requested to face time. She wanted to hide – she didn’t want Ahri’s mom to see her like this. She was good with parents, but good lord, Ahri using her pull to help Kai’sa deal with _death_ wasn’t a good first look. Ahri’s mom, who introduced herself as Liliara, but insisted Kai’sa call her Lily (Kai’sa, too embarrassed and ashamed to do so, just stuck with ma’am), seemed to pick up on her nervousness. “Ahri, my love,” she said, and even her _voice_ was nice like Ahri’s was, “Come home once you’re done there. Bring your friend with you.”

Kai’sa openly winced, sure she had done something wrong. Maybe they’d forbid Ahri from seeing her again, maybe – Ahri put her hand on Kai’sa’s knee and Kai’sa thought things might just be okay. She let loose a shuddering breath and eased her tight grip on the steering wheel.

They dropped the bulk of their stuff off in Kassadin’s home, took separate showers, and then Ahri gently coaxed her into going to the hospital. Kai’sa got more anxious the closer they got, and even Ahri’s touch didn’t help much. “Hey you,” Ahri murmured as they pulled up, “It’s going to be okay.”

Kai’sa wasn’t sure how true that statement was. She _really_ wasn’t sure when she found herself standing outside Kassadin’s room. Ahri was pressed against her side, head tilted to rest against her shoulder. “Ahri,” she began, voice shaking.

“I’ll be right here,” Ahri promised, voice soothing. Kai’sa marveled at just how _different_ this woman was from the person she’d originally met. Steeling herself, Kai’sa pushed her way into the hospital room.

It was nice, as far as those things went, and Kassadin was awake. He looked terrible, turning sunken eyes in their direction. Ever perceptive, his eyes made quick work of her and Ahri’s close stance. Kai’sa watched the corner of his mouth quirk. She got her dimples from him. She was alarmed at how nice it was to see him awake, whole, and smiling. They didn’t get along all that well, but Kai’sa did still love her father. “Dad,” she said shortly.

“Hello Kai’sa,” he sighed, looking a little shamefaced, “And hello someone I don’t think I’ve met.”

Ahri took the reins, squeezing Kai’sa close and surging onto her tiptoes to kiss her cheek. “Hello sir!” she chirped, and Kai’sa watched that practiced mask fall in place, “I’m Ahri, I go to school with Kai’sa.”

Kassadin’s eyes crinkled at the corners as Ahri sat on the side of his bed, unafraid of getting close. She engaged him in conversation, politely pausing whenever wet, hacking coughs wracked his form. It didn’t sound good, and it made Kai’sa’s mouth twist to hear. Ahri didn’t make mention of it though and actually had him laughing in short order. She was so ridiculously charming – Kai’sa saw now, from the outside looking in, why Akali was so insistent about being careful. Eventually, though, Ahri stood, wrapping Kai’sa up in a hug before pulling away with a painfully sincere expression on her face. “I’m hungry. I’m going to go grab something to eat. Do you want anything?”

“No thanks,” Kai’sa said. The thought of food made her a little ill. “But if you find some coffee, I’ll take that.”

Ahri smiled at her, biting the inside of her cheek. She stood on her tiptoes, cupped Kai’sa’s jaw in both hands, and brushed her mouth across Kai’sa’s own. It made Kai’sa’s heart thunder in her chest, and she swallowed noisily as Ahri fell back flat on her feet. “You got it, Dimples. I’ll be back shortly.” She turned, smiling, and waved at Kassadin as she left. It left Kai’sa and her father shrouded in silence.

The longer it stretched, the angrier Kai’sa got. Kassadin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Kai’sa –”

“You didn’t tell me,” she said, voice and chest tight, “You didn’t tell me any of this was going on. Were you just going to wither away and have the doctors call me when it was over?”

Kassadin averted his gaze, fingers playing with the hospital comforter. “You were at school,” he said weakly.

“And you didn’t think I might like to know you were sick?” she snapped.

“I just thought –” he sighed harshly again, and Kai’sa saw a lot of herself in his hunched shoulders and pinched expression. It was like looking into a really unfortunate mirror. “I just thought you had more important things going on. I didn’t want you to have to worry about me.”

“You’re my dad,” she snapped again, feeling a flush rise in her cheeks, “Of course I’m going to worry about you. I had to hear all this from some nurse calling me in my apartment. Like…what the _fuck_ , dad?”

He winced at her bald use of profanity directed at him. He turned tired-looking eyes in her direction, holding his hands out in a gesture of surrender. “I’m sorry,” he said, and he did mean it, Kai’sa could tell.

“It’s not okay,” she admitted, feeling her throat close up, “Not yet.”

He nodded at her, patting the side of his bed that Ahri had been perched on not too long ago. Kai’sa wasn’t sure she wanted to get that close, but she _did_ drag a chair over to sit beside the bed. “I can understand that,” he told her, eyes soft as he regarded her, “And I love you very much. I’ve just never –” His brow pinched. “I’ve never quite known how to be a parent since your mother died. I understand it’s a failure on my part. I’m very sorry I hurt you, Kai’sa.”

Shaking her head, Kai’sa decided not to argue. The man was ill, after all. “I love you too,” she said instead and meant it.

He smiled at her, reaching over to hold her hand. “How’s school going?”

“Fine,” she said quietly, “I’m doing well. I always do.”

“Mm,” he hummed, turning amused eyes in her direction, “So…Ahri, huh? She’s not exactly what I would have pictured for you but…well. Good job, kiddo.”

Kai’sa went violently red in the face, and before she could think too much about it, punched Kassadin right in the arm. “Shut up,” she said, voice shrill.

He laughed, absently rubbing where she struck him. “I’m kidding, Kai’sa. She looks like she makes you very happy. She’s a lovely girl. I’m just surprised you didn’t mention her sooner.”

“It’s not –” Kai’sa began, turning red again, “We’re not –”

Kassadin sighed, shaking his head. “Well, I see you get your obliviousness from your mother. No girl comes to see your very sick father with you if she’s not serious, Kai.” He smiled at her, dimples pressing into his cheeks. “So…congratulations. She’s very pretty.”

Kai’sa crossed her arms over her chest, lips falling into a pout. “Shut up,” she grumbled.

Ahri came back about thirty minutes later, passing Kai’sa a coffee and Kassadin a silly stuffed bear from the gift shop. She saved them all from their awkwardness as she slid into a seat next to Kai’sa, holding her hand as she carried the conversation. Kai’sa was pretty sure she was a little bit in love with her. They spent several hours there, and Ahri made her promise to come back tomorrow. Kai’sa cried on the way back to the house, feeling the steady, downward spiral start again. She didn’t want him to leave her. Ahri just held her hand, shooting her concerned glances between watching the road.

“So…” Ahri began as they pulled back up to the house, “Show me around.”

Kai’sa huffed out a laugh, looping her arm over Ahri’s shoulders as she led them both inside the dark house. “I don’t know this place. I didn’t grow up here. I’ve never even been here before now.”

Ahri arched an eyebrow, drumming her fingers along Kai’sa’s waist. “Uh, what?”

“I grew up in South Africa, but we moved to the states when I was seventeen. But, we moved to the opposite coast. Dad got moved again just this year and wanted me to change schools to be closer to the new house. I did, but I never came to see it. I just moved from my Seattle apartment to the one with Akali. I never came here.”

“I’ve been here before – well. Not _here_ , here, obviously, but this city. It’s a really popular Spring Break spot. The beaches, you know?”

“Mm,” Kai’sa hummed, feeling something alien and strange take root low in her stomach. She and Ahri were alone. No one was around. There weren’t any neighbors to be concerned about. She wanted to kiss her. Kai’sa didn’t want it to be a grief response. She really didn’t. So she didn’t follow the feeling. Instead, she flipped the light on, studying the living room the same way Ahri was. “Are you hungry?” she asked.

“I could eat,” Ahri admitted, wandering around and rooting through a few things – shameless in her nosy pursuit.

“What are you doing?” she asked, smiling.

“Looking for pictures of baby Kai’sa,” Ahri said, digging through a nearby drawer.

Rolling her eyes, Kai’sa came up behind her, wrapping her arms around Ahri’s waist and holding her fast. “You’re not going to find any. Dad didn’t take a whole lot of pictures. He didn’t really parent growing up.”

Ahri hummed, low and displeased, turning in Kai’sa’s arms to face her head-on. “Where’re your old yearbooks then? I’ve social media stalked you and can’t find anything. You don’t post enough.”

“You’re a real creep,” Kai’sa said without any bite, bending her head to kiss her. Ahri sighed against her mouth, her muscles going loose and pliant underneath her hands.

She gripped Kai’sa’s lower lip between her teeth, pulling slowly away from her mouth before letting her go. “Aren’t I just?” she teased.

Kai’sa swallowed hard as her breathing turned unsteady. They were alone. No roommates. No nothing. Kai’sa backed her up until Ahri’s back hit the wall. She pressed forward, parting Ahri’s thighs with her knee and sliding her own thigh between them. Ahri sucked in a sharp gasp through her teeth, her fingers hooking into the tense muscles of Kai’sa’s shoulders. “Hey,” Kai’sa murmured.

“Hi,” Ahri gasped, eyes wide and excited, “Are you sure about this?”

Kai’sa paused, genuinely thinking over the question. She gripped Ahri’s hips, thumbs steadily stroking over the soft skin where her shirt rode up. “Yes,” she said, after a beat, and she was. This wasn’t a grief response. This was something Kai’sa wanted.

Ahri closed her eyes against the affirmation and when they opened, Kai’sa swallowed hard. Ahri looked hungry, a breathy noise escaping her throat as she bore her hips down along Kai’sa’s thigh. Kai’sa swallowed noisily at the action, feeling hot at the collar. She didn’t _really_ know what she was doing, but she wanted to do it quite badly. She didn’t have the most experience of anyone in the world and she wanted to make Ahri feel good. Panic settled in her stomach and Kai’sa clenched her jaw against the feeling. There was no time for that now,

Instead, she surged forward, nudging Ahri’s head up and attaching her mouth to her neck. She let Ahri ride her thigh, hooking her fingers into the waistband of her pants while she licked up the tendon of her neck. Ahri let out another harsh, breathless noise. “Oh, fuck _me_ ,” she groaned, fingers tangling in Kai’sa’s hair and tugging harshly. She angled her chin up and licked into Kai’sa’s mouth without warning or preamble. She wrapped herself firmly around her, lips soft and warm as they moved against Kai’sa’s. Her hips still rolled steadily against Kai’sa’s thigh.

Kai’sa was content for the moment, head spinning as Ahri tugged at her hair and curled her tongue along the backs of her teeth. She nipped Kai’sa’s lips, soothing the sting with warm, sucking kisses as one hand slid down along her chest. She broke from her with a gasp, cheeks red, mouth open and panting, eyes dark and wanting. Ahri untangled from her and pushed Kai’sa back toward the couch. She pressed open-mouthed kisses to the skin of her neck. Kai’sa felt arousal, hot and sudden, pound through her skull.

Ahri peeled her shirt off and Kai’sa groaned, hands reaching out to touch before she was swatted away. Ahri stripped down to just her underwear and popped the button on Kai’sa’s jeans. She gripped her hands in the material of Kai’sa’s shirt, looking up at her – wanting so desperately, but apparently resistant to voice it. Kai’sa was perceptive though, and she stepped out of her jeans and tugged her shirt over her head. Ahri sighed, sinking back to sit upon the couch. “Come here,” she said, voice low and husky. It sent another sharp pang of arousal straight through Kai’sa’s stomach.

Kai’sa straddled her lap, feeling open and exposed. She wasn’t scared though. Ahri was looking at her like she was a four-course meal. She licked her lips, hands tracing burning paths down her sides. Kai’sa watched Ahri’s mouth quirk, eyes falling to somewhere low on her body. Her thumb traced the lines of another one of Kai’sa’s tattoos. “How many do you have?” she asked, eyes still dark and heavy-lidded.

“Three,” Kai’sa gasped.

“Are they all hidden like this?” Ahri purred, scratching her nail along Kai’sa’s skin, making her jump. Kai’sa felt hot and oversensitive. Without waiting for a response, Ahri leaned forward, licking along the line of her collar bone. “I hope so,” she said, low and intense, right into her skin, “Finding them will be half the fun.”

Kai’sa groaned low in her throat, heat punching her low in the stomach. Ahri’s hands curled around her hips and she pulled Kai’sa further forward, teeth scraping along her skin. Kai’sa pressed her hands to the top of the couch cushions, head hanging as she panted out of her open mouth. Ahri’s hands smoothed up along her sides, fingers inching up underneath the elastic of her bra. Kai’sa’s hips jogged forward of their own accord and Ahri chuckled into her skin, dragging her hands back down.

“I’m going to take this off,” she told her, snapping her bra free.

Kai’sa, feeling hot in the cheeks and between her thighs, just nodded, mouth dry. The garment slipped free and Ahri paused, looking at her. A sharp, self-satisfied smile curled her mouth and she glanced up, looking far more put together than Kai’sa felt. “Ahri,” Kai’sa gasped, hands anchoring themselves to her shoulders, “I don’t – I don’t know what I’m doing.” She wasn’t entirely inexperienced, but she didn’t want to let Ahri down either. Better to preface than to not.

Ahri’s eyes softened and she licked her thumb, cupping Kai’sa’s left breast with her right hand and brushing the damp pad of her thumb against her nipple. It sent sudden, sharp surges of pleasure through her that threatened to make Kai’sa’s eyes roll back in her head. “That’s okay,” she said, soft and sweet, “I do.” She leaned forward, planting a kiss in the middle of her chest before closing her mouth over Kai’sa’s right breast.

The stimulation was unexpected and Kai’sa tilted her head back, sparks dancing down her spine as she rolled her hips down into Ahri’s lap, desperate for _any_ sort of friction. Ahri hummed against her at the action, the vibration hitting Kai’sa in a way she wasn’t expecting. She whimpered, closing her hand around the back of Ahri’s head. Her whole body felt like a livewire, sparking and hot, sensitive to any touch. Ahri’s mouth left her breast but immediately closed around her other one. Kai’sa felt her face screw up against the feeling, felt her fingers clench in Ahri’s hair.

Ahri’s hands ran a slow path down her body, fingers pressing into the muscles of her stomach. She dragged her fingernails across her lower back, leaving bright red lines that Kai’sa would discover in the morning. Her hands slid slowly back up and Ahri hummed as she released her chest with a pop. Grinning up at her, Ahri bent her head, dragging her tongue along Kai’sa’s side, where the phases of the moon tattoo resided – the first one Ahri took note of. “One,” she murmured, sucking a singular dark hickey against the full moon. Her thumb sank to the curve of Kai’sa’s thigh, right where her leg met her hip. She dragged the pads of her fingers along the smooth skin there, tapping at each star point on the Pisces constellation low on Kai’sa’s hip. “Two.” She looked up, eyes dark, dragging her fingers along Kai’sa’s inner thighs. “Where’s the third?”

Kai’sa panted out her open mouth, brow pinched. She felt hot, so so hot with Ahri looking at her and touching her like this. She felt even hotter at the strangled groan Ahri let out as her fingers moved up, meeting slick arousal painting the inside of her thighs. “Nowhere fun,” Kai’sa admitted, baring down against Ahri’s hand.

“That’s a shame,” Ahri growled, peeling her underwear to the side and pressing three fingers up against her.

Kai’sa’s head snapped back and she moaned, eyes rolling back in her head. Ahri’s fingers mapped her out, her mouth sucking hickeys against Kai’sa’s neck and shoulders and chest. Her fingertips dipped inside her and Kai’sa let out a breathless noise, rolling her hips down into the pressure. It was fleeting though – Ahri just dragged her fingers back up and circled her clit instead. “Ahri,” Kai’sa groaned, wrapping her arms around Ahri’s flexing shoulders and leaning into her.

“Oh, you’re so wet,” Ahri said, breathless as she drew tight, concentrated circles against her.

“Your fault,” she groaned into the top of her head.

Ahri laughed, a breathless sounding thing as she dipped her fingers back down again. She tilted her head up, talking right against Kai’sa’s parted lips. “I’ll take full responsibility,” she said, low, heated, as she licked into her mouth and sank a single finger inside her all at once.

Kai’sa felt her stomach tighten as Ahri curled her finger. It pressed against her deliciously and she narrowly fought back a whimper as Ahri’s tongue curled in her mouth. A second finger joined the first, and Ahri’s free hand anchored on Kai’sa’s hip as the other began a slow, brutal thrust. She curled her fingers on every upward movement of her wrist, the pads of her fingers prodding at the hot, swelling spot inside her that made bright lights pop beneath Kai’sa’s closed lids. She whimpered into Ahri’s mouth, hearing the vulgar shifts of moisture as Ahri thrust inside her. The sound made her flush hot all over and she rolled down against it. “Fuck,” she panted, sinking her teeth into Ahri’s lower lip and pulling.

“Oh, there we go,” Ahri said, low and coaxing. The hand anchored to Kai’sa’s hips encouraged those rolling movements, “That’s it, pretty girl, chase the high.”

Something about the low, soothing tone made liquid heat drip down her spine – or maybe it was sweat. It _was_ awfully hot in here all of a sudden. Kai’sa tilted her head back, eyes closing. With every roll of her hips, Ahri’s fingers shifted to hit the spot that made her see stars. That, along with the brutal, precise targeting of that same spot Ahri was gracing her with had her thighs shaking. She wasn’t sure she could come from just that, but for fuck’s sake, this was a lot. She felt liable to drip down her thighs at this point. She slid a hand down her stomach, her own fingers slipping clumsily against her clit. She made a sudden, high, desperate noise with the stimulation – a noise that made Ahri growl and fuck her harder.

“I give really great head,” Ahri told her, removing her hand from Kai’sa’s hip to ball up in her hair. She tugged her back down, resting their foreheads together, but not breaking that brutal, precise thrust. “If you’re not too wiped after this, will you let me go down on you?”

Kai’sa just whined, feeling pressure build at the base of her spine as she rubbed tight circles over her clit. She was so wet that her fingers were slipping a little, but it was still working okay. She felt herself tighten against Ahri’s pressing fingers, and she saw Ahri smirk at the sensation. “Mhmm,” she panted, leaning forward and sloppily kissing Ahri right on the mouth. She’d let Ahri do whatever the fuck she wanted at this point – as long as she kept touching her.

Ahri licked her lips and Kai’sa could feel the heat of her stare as her face screwed up. The pressure increased at the base of her spine, and Kai’sa felt her thighs jerk as Ahri kept her fingers curled, tapping the pads of them against her g-spot in time with the tight circles against Kai’sa’s clit. Her volume ramped up in short, staccato bursts and her hips clumsily jerked forward, trying in vain to keep that wonderful, all-encompassing rhythm. “Oh,” Kai’sa moaned, “Ahri, I’m so close, I’m going to –” She didn’t get to finish the sentence. Ahri sank her teeth into the curve of her neck and Kai’sa’s spine bowed with the force of her orgasm. She shouted out to the ceiling, eyes rolling back as her hips jerked.

She came down with jerky, shivery movements atop Ahri’s lap, letting her hand fall away from the crux of her thighs. Ahri kept her fingers buried deep, kissing along the lines of Kai’sa’s shoulders. Emotion flooded into Kai’sa’s chest and she wrapped herself around Ahri, wanting to hold tight and never let go. “You’re so gorgeous,” Ahri breathed against the side of her head. Kai’sa felt herself shiver under the attention, shoving her face harder into the curve of her neck.

After a few minutes, Kai’sa felt far more in control, even if her muscles felt loose. The stress had bled free for the time being. Ahri took note, carefully pulling her fingers free and making a show of dragging her tongue across them. Kai’sa watched, feeling dazed and drunk, and was overcome with the most carnal, desperate need to taste her. Kai’sa sank to her knees and was validated to see Ahri’s eyes widen. She buried her face against the soft skin of Ahri’s stomach, kissing down to the elastic of her underwear.

Glancing up at her, Kai’sa ran her tongue just above the band of it, gripping it with her teeth and letting it snap back against Ahri’s skin. Ahri’s brow pinched and she ran her hand through Kai’sa’s loose hair, her teeth sinking hard into the swell of her lower lip. “You take me by such surprise every time,” Ahri told her, voice crooning and soft. It read as _I love you_ and Kai’sa felt her face flush hard. She hauled Ahri’s legs over her shoulders and turned to kiss up one of her inner thighs. Ahri sighed at the attention, fingers clenching against Kai’sa’s scalp. She licked all the way up to the crux of her thighs before shifting gears and treating the other leg with the same attention.

“Fucking tease,” Ahri snapped, tilting her hips up to encourage Kai’sa to get where she wanted her.

“Says you,” Kai’sa countered, wrapping her hands around Ahri’s hips and forcing her still, “How many times did you bend over right in front of me in class?”

Ahri laughed, stomach clenching as she fought Kai’sa’s relentless hold. “Yes, yes, do you want an apology? Will that make you do something?”

Kai’sa rolled her eyes, pressing her mouth to Ahri’s clothed cunt. Her underwear was barely there lace, and it was damp against her lips. Kai’sa dragged her tongue up along where Ahri needed her, closing her eyes against the taste.

“Shit,” Ahri hissed, fingernails digging into Kai’sa’s scalp.

“It would be a start,” Kai’sa teased, finally taking pity on her and pulling her underwear down her thighs.

“Too bad,” Ahri laughed, “I’m not sorry.”

“You’re the worst,” Kai’sa told her, warm and affectionate. She leaned close, dragging her tongue up through wet – impossibly wet heat. She huffed her surprise out through her nose, squeezing Ahri’s thighs as she curled her tongue.

“Mm,” Ahri sighed, combing through Kai’sa’s hair, “That’s really good, Kai.”

The praise bolstered her confidence and Kai’sa closed her eyes, just doing what her gut told her to. She didn’t have a _ton_ of experience, but she’d gone down on girls – well, girl, singular, before. She worked off what Ahri was giving her. She kept things consistent when Ahri got vocal, when her hips jerked up against her mouth.

She discovered that Ahri was _very_ vocal, keeping up a steady line of praise and filth as she gasped and groaned her pleasure out into the stifling air of the living room. “Fuck,” she gasped, body wound tight like a spring as Kai’sa pressed closer, uncaring that things got messy and wet, “You talk like you don’t know what you’re doing. You give me whiplash, Kai’sa.”

Kai’sa just grinned, closing her lips around Ahri’s clit and sucking it into her mouth. She _didn’t_ know what she was doing, but she also wasn’t stupid. She could read a room and be able to pinpoint what worked and what didn’t. It didn’t take too terribly long before Ahri’s thighs trapped her head and she shook her way through an orgasm that coated the lower half of Kai’sa’s face.

Kai’sa pulled away, gasping, face dripping as she gazed up at the woman above her. She felt so much better. The panic and stress eased and all she wanted to do was curl up with Ahri and never let her go. She stood up, leaning over Ahri and pressing her nose to her cheek. Ahri turned her head, kissing Kai’sa’s wet mouth and standing up on shaky legs to push her backward.

“I think I’m in love with you,” Kai’sa admitted as Ahri nipped her way along her jaw.

“Yeah, baby,” Ahri purred against her skin, “I know.”

Ahri had her pressed against the wall, bent over the bed in the guest room, and finally, in the shower they shared once they thought they were done. She didn’t lie. The woman was good with her mouth.

\----

They went to bid Kai’sa’s father farewell the next morning, before clambering back into the car to make their way back to campus. _(“_ Please _wear a scarf, Kai’sa, your father does not need to know I bit your neck in his home.”)_ Midterms were coming up, and they’d both been granted extensions, but still. Kai’sa was squirrelly and anxious about her grades. Her dad was probably not going to pass immediately, and she was trying desperately hard not to think about that. School gave her a reason not to. Ahri stress cried on her once they got back, openly sobbing into her shoulder. Kai’sa just held her close and rocked them back and forth, promising to help her study.

She did and they both passed. Kai’sa _knew_ she did, and she was confident Ahri was selling herself short as well. Ahri thumbed at the dark hickeys on Kai’sa’s neck after the fact, and tackled her into the bed, flipping Akali off as she made retching noises from the kitchen. Later, naked and sweating, Ahri curled into Kai’sa’s chest, kissing along her collar bones.

“We should go to my house for Spring Break. I promised Mom I’d bring you.”

Kai’sa winced, hoping Ahri had forgotten that little tidbit. She was happy ignoring her problems and curling up with Ahri – she hadn’t counted on Ahri continuously pushing the issue.

“What do your parents do?” Kai’sa asked, swallowing hard and ignoring the curl of unease in the back of her mind.

“Mom’s a lawyer – she makes a bigger splash than Dad. Dad’s a surgeon though. I think maybe they can both help. Your Dad isn’t like…well. He’s sick, but I think he can get better. I bet you my Dad would have some ideas.”

Kai’sa bit the inside of her cheek, feeling anxiety and panic make her heartbeat quicken. Pressed against her how she was, Ahri could surely hear.

“What’s wrong?” she asked a second later, proving Kai’sa’s theory right.

“I’m just nervous,” she said honestly.

Ahri laughed, propping herself up and resting her cheek in one hand. “Oh, baby, please. They’re going to love you. You so far exceed the caliber of people I normally bring home. I think Mom might actually try and bribe you to marry me.”

The thought of _that_ made Kai’sa flush bright pink, prompting Ahri to reach out and pinch her cheek. “I don’t know about that,” Kai’sa said, frowning. She wasn’t sure she was wife material, as it were.

“I do,” Ahri said quietly as she leaned forward, kissing one of the divots in Kai’sa’s cheeks.

The drive to Ahri’s home wasn’t nearly as long as the drive to Kai’sa’s. Her family home was only about an hour away from campus, and Kai’sa watched the houses get larger and larger the further they drove in. Her mouth went a little dry, and she felt terribly underdressed in her jeans, beanie, and hoodie combo. Ahri looked perfect and put together as always, and she talked the entire way there. From anyone else, it would have been annoying, but since it was Ahri, it was all okay.

“Hey,” Kai’sa murmured as she parked in the driveway Ahri indicated. “I don’t – what are we?”

Ahri paused, furrowing her brow. “What?”

“I mean – just – what are we?”

“Kai’sa, we’ve been dating for the past two weeks.”

“We have?!”

Ahri fixed her with the driest, most unimpressed look. “You’re _such_ an idiot, I love you so much.” She leaned forward, pecked her on the mouth, and clambered out of the car.

“Does this mean I call you my girlfriend?!” Kai’sa called after her, tripping over her own feet as she also got out of the car.

Ahri just shot her another unimpressed look over her shoulder, opening her arms and speeding up to meet a man who strode out of the house. Kai’sa watched as she hugged him, and could hear Ahri giggling from this distance. Smiling to herself, feeling warm in the cheeks and chest, Kai’sa popped the trunk of the car, hefting Ahri’s bags, along with her own, and awkwardly hovered until she was invited closer.

Ahri tugged the man over to meet her, smile wide and beautiful as she pressed into Kai’sa’s side. “Kai’sa, this is my Dad. Dad, this is Kai’sa.”

He was shorter than her by about an inch, but he possessed the same amount of presence his daughter did, making Kai’sa feel tall and gangly. He extended his hand, smile wide and warm. His eyes were green, she noticed, and Ahri had the curve of his smile. Kai’sa bit the inside of her cheek, but hesitantly smiled back, taking his hand and shaking it. “Kai’sa, lovely to meet you,” he said, “I’m Ahren.” He leaned close, nudging Kai’sa’s ribs with his elbow, “She’s named after me.”

Ahri openly rolled her eyes, tugging impatiently at Kai’sa’s hand, seemingly anxious to get her inside. “Weird flex, but okay,” she said dryly.

Kai’sa paused, reaching down to gather their bags, but Ahren stopped her with a gentle hand to her shoulder. “No, dear, it’s okay. I’ll get these. Go ahead on in, it’s cold out here. It’s very nice to officially meet you, Kai’sa.”

Kai’sa blinked, feeling a little comforted despite herself. He was very nice and seemed to love Ahri more than anything. Kai’sa could understand that. Their home was large though – lavish. Even the grounds were impeccable, and Kai’sa wasn’t sure she could ever truly relax here. It felt too much like some fancy hotel. Kai’sa missed her messy college apartment. As it were though, she simply followed Ahri inside, her shoulders hunched up around her ears. They entered into a sprawling foyer with a chandelier hanging overhead. Kai’sa took note of several expensive-looking pieces of artwork. She stopped, ignoring Ahri’s insistent tugs on her hand in favor of wandering over to look at one.

“Ugh, mom and dad like this stuff,” Ahri said as they came to a stop in front of it, “But I just…don’t get it?”

“I do,” Kai’sa said softly, eyes wide.

“I suddenly have much more interest in it, should I describe how the shapes make me feel?”

Kai’sa sighed, rolling her eyes. “Sometimes I hate you,” she lied.

“No you don’t,” Ahri said, calling her bluff. She stood on her tiptoes, kissing the jut of Kai’sa’s jaw.

Kai’sa didn’t bother to respond, which made Ahri smile at her, sharp and self-satisfied. She held her hand and wrapped herself around Kai’sa’s arm, letting her study the painting even as she got steadily more fidgety. It was sweet in a very Ahri sort of way, so Kai’sa took pity on her, turning away and letting her lead her further into the mansion.

Ahri led her to a sprawling kitchen, which made Kai’sa perk up. She moved into the space, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. There was so much storage and counter space. The burners were on a glass top, the counters were marble. It was lovely, and Kai’sa itched to cook something – anything. She glanced back to see Ahri smiling at her, soft and indulgent. “You’re really cute.”

Kai’sa felt herself go pink in the face and she opened her mouth to respond before movement behind Ahri caught her attention. Ahri’s mother moved into the space. She was shorter than Ahri, her hair dark and shiny, pinned back from her face. Her eyes were dark brown, and Kai’sa marveled at _how_ Ahri got that pretty honey gold color. Her mother’s eyes weren’t as warm either, a cool sort of detachment that Ahri never came close to was settled across them.

“Ah,” she said, placing her hands on her hips, “Hello. Kai’sa. It’s nice to officially meet you. It’s always so different over video.”

“Hey Mama,” Ahri said with a grin, waving.

Kai’sa swallowed hard, shifting anxiously on her feet. Ahri’s mother watched, a dark eyebrow quirking, making Kai’sa feel even _more_ uncomfortable. “How’s your father?”

Ahri winced, and Kai’sa averted her gaze, twisting her hands in front of her, a sudden motion that she couldn’t seem to stop. “I – um. Okay, I guess, ma’am.”

Kai’sa watched Ahri’s mother’s expression soften, and she took a few steps forward before she stopped herself. Kai’sa didn’t know why, but she folded her hands behind her back, nodding her head. “We can talk more about that later if you wish –”

“Mama,” Ahri mumbled, cheeks pink, “Can you like…not, right now?”

Ahri’s mother blinked, looking taken aback. She wasn’t entirely removed from the emotion in the room though, it seemed, and she strode forward, patting Kai’sa on the shoulder. “Of course,” she said, dark brown eyes trained on Kai’sa’s face, “Why don’t you just try and make yourself comfortable? Ahri can show you around.”

She was a lot more awkward than Ahri and her father, and Kai’sa felt for Ms. Liliara a little bit. Kai’sa wasn’t very good with new people either, and she was sensing a lot of that in Ahri’s mother. She seemed straight to the point and at a bit of a loss with what to do with the cresting wave of Kai’sa’s grief. She didn’t blame her – Kai’sa was just grateful she was trying. Instead of prolonging the discomfort, Kai’sa just nodded, swallowing thickly. She was grateful for the help, and, dating Ahri apparently, she needed to meet her parents at some point anyway.

Ahri, looking embarrassed, tugged at Kai’sa’s hands and led her around the house. They had a pool, a gym, a multi-car garage…it was the biggest house Kai’sa had ever seen. Ahri led her upstairs, closing them both in what looked to be her childhood bedroom. There were silly, outdated posters on the walls and Kai’sa smiled upon seeing them. Ahri flopped across her bed, watching Kai’sa as she moved about the space. Kai’sa paused, mouth quirking as she saw some old photos of Ahri in high school if she had to guess.

She saw one of her and Evelynn and Kai’sa brought out her phone, snapping a photo and sending it to Akali. “I feel awkward,” Kai’sa sighed, turning away from all the pictures to join Ahri on the bed.

“I can’t tell,” Ahri said dryly, rolling into her side, “We can make out, that might help.”

“I’m not sleeping with you in your childhood bedroom,” Kai’sa said, wrinkling her nose.

“Boo,” Ahri said without venom, pressing a kiss against her neck. A comfortable silence settled between them, Kai’sa figured they were both tired from the drive and wanting to just relax. “I love you,” Ahri said, “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I love you too,” Kai’sa replied, running a hand up Ahri’s back, “And I am too.”

The next morning, Kai’sa rose early, as usual. Ahri was curled within the blankets, facing away from her. Kai’sa watched the rise and fall of her chest for a few moments before restlessness made her truly get up. She wandered downstairs, finding herself in the kitchen again. She moved about on instinct, getting ready to make breakfast before she realized this wasn’t her house – wasn’t her kitchen. She froze, frowning, feeling terribly awkward. No one else was awake yet, it was far too early. This wasn’t her house though, and Kai’sa didn’t want to go wandering around without Ahri.

She just stood, running her fingers along the cool countertops before she heard the sound of motion from her right. She turned toward it, seeing Ahri’s mother emerge from the gym, a towel looped around her neck. She paused, surprise flitting across her expression upon seeing Kai’sa. They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Ms. Liliara came over, seating herself on one of the barstools. “It seems I always find you in here, dear. Do you cook?”

“Yes ma’am,” she said quietly, fidgeting uncomfortably. For some reason, Ahri’s mother put her on edge. She was nice – but there was that distance. She knew now where Ahri got that mask from.

“I never picked up the habit,” Liliara said, placing her chin in her palm, “We have people prepare the meals for us, most of the time.”

Kai’sa worked hard to keep her expression from twisting. Preparing food for people was a big way to show she cared – she couldn’t imagine not cooking for people she liked. “Oh,” she said awkwardly, averting her gaze.

A tense silence settled between them, and Kai’sa panicked a little. She didn’t want Ahri’s mother to dislike her.

“You know,” Liliara began, “When Ahri asked me to help you out with everything, I was quite shocked. As I’m sure you know, my daughter isn’t excellent and letting people in close. It took me by surprise that she was working so very hard to do something like this for you. I get the sense that she cares for you very much.” Her eyes were bright and hard, staring directly at Kai’sa.

“Yes ma’am,” Kai’sa said quietly, content to let her finish.

“I’m sorry to hear about your father, dear. I think my husband has some ideas about how to help him, but if the worst should come to pass…” She trailed off, sighing. “Well. I am here for you, even if I lack in the comfort department. Ahri cares for you very much.”

Kai’sa felt her cheeks warm and she swallowed noisily. “Thank you,” she said quietly, “I like Ahri a whole lot too.” She loved her, but she didn’t want to just spill that to her hard, mistrustful mother. “Um. Do you want to help me cook? I can teach you some stuff if you do want to pick up the habit.”

Liliara’s brow arched high up her forehead, and Kai’sa worried briefly that she’d overstepped. Then a small smile broke across the marble and she stood, nodding her head. “Absolutely,” she said, brushing her hands across her thighs, “I very much like to learn.”

“Me too,” Kai’sa said, smiling right back.

Ahri and her father stumbled in sometime later, Ahri with puffy eyes and mussed hair. She sank heavily into a stool, making grabby hands in Kai’sa’s direction as she set a cup of coffee in front of her. Kai’sa obliged her, sighing as Ahri wrapped her arms around her, clinging sleepily to her as her mother bustled around the kitchen, finishing breakfast. She was gratified to see some warmth in Liliara’s expression as she studied the scene though.

Parents. Kai’sa was good with them. Most of the time.

***

The next semester went well, even knowing it was Ahri’s last. She was a year older than her, and Kai’sa knew Ahri was going to leave to attend law school. It hurt her, aching, open, and raw in the chest, but she didn’t say anything, knowing Ahri surely felt the same. Harvard was a long way away.

Kassadin made a recovery, which made Kai’sa breathe a lot easier. The surgeries were long and expensive, and Ahri held her hand through the waiting. Kai’sa’s heart felt so full that she was afraid it might burst. He took a vested interest in Kai’sa’s life after that, which was _annoying_. She was resistant to it, even when Ahri gently coaxed her to keep an open mind. She didn’t want to, which she knew was petty and stupid, but still. She couldn’t help it. She was still pretty sore about the whole situation – and she wasn’t just talking about him keeping his illness from her.

Graduation was inching ever closer and Ahri still hadn’t told her her plans. Kai’sa winced every time she thought about it and she _knew_ Ahri could tell. She finally outright asked one night when they were both snuggled into her room at the Tri Delt house. “Where are you going after graduation?” Kai’sa asked.

Ahri smiled, leaning against her. “I’m staying here.”

“What?”

“I’m staying here.”

“Ahri – what about Harvard?!”

“I didn’t get in.”

Kai’sa paused, blinking. She frowned, looping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her tight. “That – that really sucks. I’m sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It’s okay. It was a pipe dream anyway. Like…I’m okay in the smarts department, but I’m not Harvard smart.” She paused, tilting her head up to kiss the curve of her jaw. “And…I don’t know. I think I was a little embarrassed. Everyone thinks I’m an airhead, you know? I didn’t want you to think I was one too.”

Kai’sa frowned, swatting her side. “I will literally never think you’re stupid. I’m mildly offended you would think I would.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I knew logically that it was totally irrational?”

Kai’sa grumbled, hating how _elated_ the news that Ahri was staying made her. “Maybe a little better.”

Ahri glanced sidelong at her, eyes warm and amused. “You don’t get rid of me that easily, Kai. You’re stuck with me for a while.”

“Oh no, what a horrible fate,” she said flatly, flipping them so Ahri was perched atop her.

Ahri laughed, pressing her hands flat against Kai’sa’s chest. “You want to rail me into the mattress?” she asked, like she was talking about the weather.

Kai’sa, so shockingly used to it by now, just paused, thinking it over. “Yeah,” she decided, flipping Ahri again, who laughed, loud and carefree as she wound herself around Kai’sa’s form.

They stress ate their way through finals, Ahri crying on her again as she had a genuine breakdown at the thought of not getting into law school. Kai’sa hugged her tight and whispered words of affirmation in her ear until Ahri calmed, nodding off against her chest. She was a neurotic nightmare, but Kai’sa loved her so much.

Predictably, Ahri _did_ get into law school, and she rented an apartment off-campus, shyly asking Kai’sa if she wanted to move in with her for the next year. Kai’sa took the gentle ribbing from Akali as a sign to say yes, and Ahri’s rush of relief made her stand by the decision. Graduation loomed ever closer, and Kai’sa sat, bored, at the mall as Ahri shopped for a dress. She glanced up every time as Ahri stepped out of the dressing room, twirling and grinning and having way too much fun as far as Kai’sa was concerned. Shopping was god damn boring.

The date arrived, and Kai’sa joined Ahri’s parents, and, shockingly, Kassadin, in the crowd, ready to whistle as loud as she could when Ahri walked across the stage for her diploma. When her name was called, nearly the whole arena erupted, which was just predictable. Everyone loved Ahri – but Kai’sa loved her the most. She found her first after the ceremony, makeup immaculate, hair mussed.

“Hey you,” Kai’sa murmured, wrapping her up and hugging her tight.

Ahri’s smile was bright, her face flushed with elation. “Aaaah!” she yelled right in Kai’sa’s face, laughing as she jumped up, forcing Kai’sa to catch her.

Kai’sa laughed too, Ahri’s enthusiasm was infectious. “I got you something,” she murmured into her ear.

Ahri grinned, pulling back, eyes bright and _terribly_ interested. “Presents are fun,” she said, “I like those.”

Kai’sa reached into her pocket, bringing out a small jewelry box, handing it over.

Ahri went pale, eyes wide. “Oh my god, are you proposing?”

Kai’sa sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Wh – no! God, you freak, just open it.”

Ahri pressed her hand to her heart, breathing out a harsh breath. “Oh thank god. I love you, but I so am not ready for marriage yet.”

Kai’sa just sighed, pressing her hands loosely to Ahri’s waist, adjusting her honor cords out of habit. Ahri took the lid off the box, a grin quirking her mouth as she brought out the silver necklace. It had an anatomically correct version of a heart attached to it. “It’s pretty, I like it, but what’s it for?”

“So you don’t forget me in your fancy law school,” Kai’sa teased, before going pink. “No, but really…you know. I’m doing the whole CSI thing and just…I don’t know.”

“And you said you weren’t proposing you big sap,” Ahri teased.

Kai’sa rolled her eyes, making a show of trying to escape her hold.

“No!” Ahri laughed, pressing close, “Come back! Put it on me.”

Kai’sa smiled, pleased Ahri seemed to like it. She closed the necklace around the back of her neck, leaning into the hand Ahri placed on her cheek a moment later. Ahri’s thumb stroked along the line of her smile and her eyes softened as she leaned up to kiss her. The world quieted, and all Kai’sa could focus on was the warmth of Ahri’s lips and the steady beat of her own heart.

Ahri’s whole entourage found them a few minutes later. Her father loudly crowed his praise, scooping her up and swinging her around. Kassadin laughed, standing next to Ahri’s mother, who looked so proud Kai’sa thought she might burst. Eve was dressed similarly, accepting a pat on the shoulder from Ahri’s mom, even as Akali wound herself around her back. They all moved away, laughing and talking amongst themselves, even as Kai’sa stayed rooted in place.

Ahri paused, turning back and letting everyone move ahead of her. “You coming?” she asked, holding her hand out.

“Yeah,” Kai’sa breathed after a beat, contentment settling as a warm glow in the center of her chest. She reached out, taking Ahri’s proffered hand. “I’m coming.”

**Author's Note:**

> okay i swear i had the kassadin stuff planned from the beginning but then my own grief hit and it became something a lot more in depth lmaooooo. anyway, this was rambling NONSENSE and pure trash garbo but WHATEVER, i hope yall enjoy anyway! feel free to leave comments/kudos if you want!


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